Thurso golfer Fidler shows his experience with Tour Cup win
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE summer competition season at Thurso Golf Club swung into action with a nine-hole sweep on Thursday.
Stuart Ross (2) was the winner with 22 points helped by birdies at the fifth, seventh and ninth. His only bogey was at the par-five fourth.
Adam Higgins (9) had 20 points to finish second. Alan Swanson (0) was third with 19 points, while Innes Mitchell (3), Jim Sangster (1) and Keith Dreaves (5) all had 18 points.
Saturday saw the first round of the summer league and Darren Sinclair (12) won on countback with 33 points from Chris Williamson (16). The next best in what were windy conditions was Alan Simmonite (17) with 31 points.
Twenty members of the club went off on their annual Tour Cup, playing Lossiemouth new and old and also Aigas.
After a thrilling first day Nicky Doherty held a one-shot lead over Stephen Fidler after scoring 40 points. Doherty doubled his lead over Fidler the next day after handling the port side of the old course with lots of trouble, left, on the last three holes.
However, Terry Mackay partnered with Doherty showed the shape of things to come with a great seven iron to three feet on the 18th which helped them earn a half over Fidler and partner Ian Macdonald, who were disappointed after being four up with five to play.
With the final day at Aigas, Terry Mackay, still not fully recovered from a trapped nerve in his shoulder, had a moment to remember at the 140-yard par-three seventh.
The seven iron he had been hitting so sweetly the previous day came to the fore as he holed out from the tee for a hole in one.
The last group out once again saw Doherty up against Fidler. On this occasion, Fidler showed his class and experience as he turned the tables having a two-shot lead at the ninth.
Doherty’s partner Reiss Reid was playing very steady golf and was holing putts from all over the mossy greens. This put him into contention on the 16th where he was one point behind Fidler and two ahead of Doherty.
Reid, however, failed to overtake Fidler who just missed a birdie putt on 16 but tapped in for a par and three points. This seemed to knock the wind out of Reid, who slowed down and could not gain momentum for the last two holes.
Fidler showed some nerves with a poor drive on the 18th, but a chip to six inches was stunning and he had an easy putt to win the cup as Reid and Doherty both ran out of steam.
There was a cold strong, persistent wind on Tuesday at Thurso Golf Club for the latest round of the EGGs Summer Stableford. The wind direction meant most holes were more difficult and the scoring reflected this.
The maximum outward nine holes score achieved was 18 points, with Donald Jack, Clark Grant and Walter Duff being the successful triumvirates. Ian Manson and Stuart Bell were a point further back.
Jack Johnstone had the best inward-half score of 19 points, giving him a winning total of 35 points. Duff and Alan Simmonite tied with 32 points, with Simmonite taking second spot by virtue of the better inward half.
Jack was on his own with 31 points one ahead of Manson, John Morrison and Davie Calder.
