Thomson sparkles in Winter Medal at Wick
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THE fifth round of the Winter Medal was played at Wick last Sunday and scoring was high due to a very cold, near gale-force south-easterly wind, resulting in 10 of the 28 competitors having no returns.
The course was in surprisingly good condition following the heavy rains in the last couple of months.
The best score of the day came from Ian Thomson (5) with a nett 69, a superb score in the conditions. Playing with the wind at his back Thomson went out in 39 but then produced sparkling golf into the wind to cover the last nine holes in one-over-par 35, which included birdies at the 14th and 16th holes.
Sanders Harper (22) was second with a nett 70. He has been playing well in recent weeks and continued this fine run, going out in 45, which included a super birdie at the fourth, and coming back in 47.
Veteran Farquhar MacGregor (14) was third with a nett 72. MacGregor has been the model of consistency in the winter competitions and maintained this good form, going out in 43 and back in 43.
Next with nett 73s were Clair Falconer (18) and veteran Gerry O’Brien (24), with Falconer claiming fourth spot on a better inward half.
He had halves of 45 and 46 and O’Brien halves of 46 and 51.
O’Brien was in the running to win the competition until he collected a disastrous nine at the par-four 17th.
Other scores worthy of note came from Drew Robertson (9), Mike Steven (11), Keith Gowens (12) and Colin Coghill (5), all returning nett 75s. The next competition is a Stableford due to be played on Sunday.
