Thorburn relegates rival to second spot
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THURSO’S Dougie Thorburn, winner of last season’s North Golf Alliance trophy for aggregate scratch scores, made his first appearance of the winter at Royal Dornoch last Sunday and headed the field of 58 with a one-under-par 69.
The conditions could not have been better, no wind and under a lovely November sunny day Thorburn brought out his scoring touch from the first hole, a birdie three, only to give it back to the course two holes later, but still made his way out to the turn in level-par 35.
His second dropped shot came at the 10th but it was recovered two holes later with birdie on the par-five 12th then below par once more after driving close to the 15th green for another three. Par was matched over the finishing three holes for an inward 34 to relegate his great Tain Alliance rival, Munro Ferries, once more to second place.
Ferries was also making his Alliance season debut and led for most of the competition although he struggled on the outward half with his driver.
Two errant tee shots, the fourth and eighth holes, cost him double bogey figures in a count of 38 but as the sun rose nearer to its midday high the Tain champion forced his way home in two-under-par 33 with birdies on the 13th and 15th holes.
Tain were the prominent club when sorting out the class one handicap scores.
Mike Sangster also holed a birdie putt on the 13th green to help him to an inward count of 36 and when added to his outward 37 his gross 73 reduced to nett 70 to win this section.
The scratch winner from the Durness fixture, David Dunbar (Thurso), arrived in second place with nett 72, off five, to drop Tain’s Andrew Watt down into third position.
In the class two group it was Thurso members who topped the list.
Stanley Ross led them home with nett 70, off 13, and into second place came club mate Steve Osbourne with nett 73, off 20, his position claimed by virtue of a better last six holes over Alister McGowan (Durness)
There is no fixture this weekend and Tain has the next date, November 18.
Scratch results – 69 D. Thorburn (Thurso). 71 M. Ferries (Tain). 73 M. Sangster (Tain). 77 D. Dunbar (Thurso).
Handicap class one – M. Sangster (Tain) (30) 70. D. Dunbar (Thurso) (5) 72. A. Watt (Tain) (8) 73.
Class two – S. Ross (Thurso) (13) 70. S. Osbourne (Thurso) (20) 73. A McGowan (Durness) (12) 73.
