Sunday, August 27, 2006

McALPINE RETURNS TO CHAMPION FORM



McALPINE RETURNS TO CHAMPION FORM TO WIN THE NORTH OF SCOTLAND OPEN

It must be the Nairn air that turns on Kevin McAlpine. Earlier this month he won the Scottish amateur match-play championship over the Nairn links. At the weekend, he returned to the town to win the Tulloch Construction North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play championship for the David Blair Trophy over the Nairn Dunbar course.
It’s the first 72-hole SGU Order of Merit event that 22-year-old Kevin has won although he would have won the Cameron Corbett Vase at Haggs Castle earlier this summer but for three putts on the last green.
“I took a week off after the ‘Scottish’ because I was just exhausted but now I feel refreshed and the game is back in the groove,” said McAlpine.
“I really won at Nairn Dunbar with a third-round 68 which put me five shots clear of the field, even though I had a triple bogey 7 at the fifth. I finished very well with three birdies and an eagle in the last six holes for 32 home.”
Kevin is looking forward to making his debut for Scotland in the home internationals at Pyle & Kenfig next week. He has no thoughts of turning professional just yet – “I might have a go at making it to the Tour School at the end of next year.”
McAlpine’s closing round of two-over-par 74 for a final total of six-under-par 282 was much more pedestrian and that storming finish to his third round did indeed stand him in good stead at the end of the day.
Lothians champion Arthur Culverwell, halfway leader on 149 but drifting out of it slightly with a third-round 75, came back into the picture with a closing 70 to finish two behind the winner on 284.
Culverwell made his round with a bogey-free outward half of 33 with birdies at the third and ninth.
Scottish mid-amateur champion Allyn Dick (Shotts), lying in sixth place after 54 holes, ran up a 14 at the par-4 seventh hole but continued his round to reach the turn in 15-over-par 50. He did not return a score at the short 11th and decided to have a No Return.
Scottish youth cap Philip McLean from Peterhead had yet another good finish in a 72-hole event. He finished third on 285 – one shot ahead of defending champion Elliot Saltman (Craigielaw) – to complete a hat-trick of third-place finishes after the Leven Gold Medal and the North-east District Open in successive weekends.

COLLATED SCOREBOARD

TULLOCH CONSTRUCTION NORTH OF SCOTLAND OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

FINAL TOTALS
Par 72, CSS 74 74 74 XX
282 K McAlpine (Alyth) 71 69 68 74.
284 A Culverwell (Dunbar) 70 69 75 70.
285 P McLean (Peterhead) 67 75 72 71.
286 E Saltman (Craigielaw) 70 73 70 73.
290 J Forbes (Inverness) 75 70 74 71, E McIntosh (Newmachar) 72 71 71 76.
292 S McEwan (Barassie) 73 74 70 75, R Hyland (Newmachar) 71 73 73 75.
294 G Dear (Murrayshall) 72 76 76 70.
296 R Mackay (Inverness) 74 79 76 67, R Howitt (Nairn Dunbar) 71 73 78 74, P Cormack (Inchmarlo) 70 72 79 75.
297 M Ferries (Tain) 76 74 74 73, S Elder (Kirkcaldy) 76 71 77 73, E Forbes (Inverness) 76 69 81 71, S Borrowman (Dollar) 71 73 76 77.
298 M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 76 72 73 77, K Nicol (Fraserburgh) 78 70 76 74, B Thomson (Inverness) 69 76 75 78, Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 75 69 79 75.
299 G Thomson (Moray) 74 73 78 74.
300 B Fotheringham (Forres) 80 69 71 80, L Miller (Cawder) 74 69 82 75.
301 A Main (Thornton) 73 78 75 75, F Fotheringham (Nairn) 74 75 73 79, E Polson (Inverness) 70 75 72 84.
302 B Rushford (Grangemouth) 79 74 75 74.
303 K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 71 78 71 83, J Gunn (Royal Dornoch) 74 74 71 84.
304 G Stewart (Murcar Links) 79 74 74 77, J Duff (Newmachar) 74 78 71 81, J Donaldson (Falkirk Tryst) 74 76 75 79, R Cooper (Cruden Bay) 71 73 80 80.
305 M Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) 75 75 79 76.
308 B McDermott (Leven GS) 70 77 81 80.
309 G Turner (West Linton) 76 76 74 83.
312 B Ferries (Tain) 76 74 78 84.
313 C Bennett (Inverness) 79 74 77 83.
Retired: S Hume (Murrayshall) 72 75 -.
No Return: A Dick (Shotts) 72 69 75 NR.

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