NAIRN GOLF CLUB FIRST TO RETAIN MORAY &

NAIRN LEAGUE TROPHY IN 30 YEARS

REPORT FROM ROBIN WILSON

After an initial scare from their near neighbours, Nairn Dunbar, The Nairn Golf Club went on to become the first club in thirty years to make a successful defence of the G. R. Thomson Shield when the Moray and Nairn League games were played over their home course last weekend.

Neil Howitt was in the last game on the course on Thursday night against Willie Barron and needed only a half on the final hole for Nairn to take full points but he missed a five-foot putt for Barron to win one up and tie the result at four games each.

The Dunbar Club built on their success against the Holders to go on and win their next two games beating Forres and Elgin and giving themselves a chance of ending a lean spell having not won the league since 1982.

A defeat for Nairn Dunbar from Moray on Sunday put a win beyond them,(they eventually finished in third place) and it put the Lossie club into a one point lead over the home side who since their opening game against Dunbar had not dropped another point with wins over Elgin and Forres thus setting up a cliffhanger with Moray in the final match on Sunday afternoon.

It went well for the home side in the opening game when last years team captain, Robert Smith put Ian Geddes to an early bath and Nairn went on to win three of the first four games. Moray's Kevin Thomson then closed the gap beating Neil Howitt 2&1 but teenager Fraser Fotheringham secured a vital fourth game for Nairn and the final point came from this year's team Captain Alex Scott and Bruce Thomson who halved their matches against Moray's Robbie Sheils and Gary Thomson. Scott a final birdie four for his half point against Sheils and Gary Thomson getting his birdie at the last for his half point with his namesake.