DAVID CORKEY (81) WINS

EAST ABERDEENSHIRE

WINTER OPEN

East Aberdeenshire member Dod Laing had by far the best net score of the day in winning the Class 1 handicap section of the East Aberdeenshire Golf Centre Winter Open.
Dod, with a net 72 off 11 of a handicap, had two shots to spare from Gary Thompson (EAGC) in a field of 55.
Inchmarlo member Raymond Smith won the Class 2 by a single shot from Darren Stuart.
The scratch section, offering the highest prize voucher of the day (worth £100) was won by regular North-east Alliance campaigner David Corkey, pictured right, with an 81. John Nicolson and Alec Allan, both of Auchmill, finished one stroke behind on 82.
Dod Laing, who plays off 11, did not get off to the best of starts with a 6 at the 274 yd first hole. However, he steadied himself to play the next 12 holes in five over par, good going considering playing conditions were as tough as many could remember with winds of up to 40 mph which delayed the event by almost an hour.

SCRAMBLED WELL
Afterwards Dod reflected that he struggled with his driving but scrambled very well, getting up and down on numerous occasions to save par.
Raymond Smith, who plays off 19, had never played the course previously and he also found the conditions tough, commenting “It was a great challenge, the weather was very strong. It was a little wet underfoot but for January the course was fantastic.”
Raymond’s score could have been even better had it not been for an errant tee shot at the 15th (the dreaded “Hill,” 515yds uphill all the way) where he carded a 9! Darren Stuart was left to rue three closing bogeys to miss out by a shot.
Due to the success of the event (55 of the initial entry of 84 played), a third Winter Open is being considered by the East Aberdeenshire council for a Sunday in March, which gives golfers a great opportunity to get some pre-season preparation.
+++East Aberdeenshire Golf Club has been given the honour of staging the Aberdeen Pennant League final (Sunday, July 22) and the City of Aberdeen men's foursomes for Maitland Shield (May 21-25) for the first time in the upcoming season.

Leading scores:

SCRATCH
1st DAVID CORKEY (East Aberdeenshire) 81 (£100 voucher)
2nd JOHN NICOLSON (Auchmill) 82 (£50 voucher)
3rd ALEC ALLAN (Auchmill) 82 Better inward half (£25 voucher)

HANDICAP
Class 1
1st DOD LAING (East Aberdeenshire) (11) 72 (£50 voucher)
2nd GARY THOMPSON (East Aberdeenshire) (11) 74 (£25 voucher)
3rd KEVIN SELLAR (Auchmill) (7) 76 (£15 voucher)
Class 2
1st RAYMOND SMITH (Inchmarlo Golf Club) (19) 74 (£50 voucher)
2nd DARREN STUART (East Aberdeenshire) (14) 75 (£25 voucher)
3rd GEORGE FYVIE (East Aberdeenshire) (14) 77 (£15 voucher)