MARK HALLIDAY WINS BACK SINCLAIR CUP
AT ROYAL DORNOCH

By ROBIN WILSON
With a first place in 2005 and third 12 months ago, Royal Aberdeen’s Mark Halliday regained the Sinclair Cup at Royal Dornoch on Saturday with a 36 hole aggregate of 141 (69-72) to win by three strples frp, Brian Innes (Murcar Links) and home club member Bert Nicholson.
With the Royal Dornoch SSS rising from 73 to 74 in round one and to 75 in the second round plus two handicapper Halliday will have taken his handicap even lower after bettering the SSS in both rounds over the renowned championship links that often figures in the world’s top twenty course rankings.
The four par-3 holes at Royal Dornoch are often regarded as its best defence but Halliday cut them down to just nine shots on his first round card with birdies at the sixth, 10th and 13th for a one under par card of 69 (35-34). His lead was one shot over plus three handicapper Innes from the neighbouring Murcar Links course in Aberdeen.
Innes' first round was hampered by a double bogey 6 at the opening but he got under par figures at the fifth, sixth and ninth to get out in 35 and a repeat count over the next nine with a birdie at the 15th for level par 70.
During his winning round of 2005, Halliday equalled Jimmy Gunn’s then course record of 65 (subsequently lowered by Gunn to 64 this year) but with no Gunn in last Saturday’s entry and the holder Kevin Matheson putting up a poor defence with an opening 81, the home challenge was spearheaded by senior member Bert Nicholson, a winner of the Scottish open stroke play championship thirty five years ago. Nicholson turned in a first round 73.
Halliday added a second round 72 to win with 141 and Innes and Nicholson were joint second three shots back on 144. With his second round 71 Nicholson would have been placed second scratch but with a bigger first place handicap voucher Innes got the runner up prize.
James Macleod (Tain) matched his third place from last year with rounds of 74 and 75 and in the handicap section two club mates, Tony Gordon and Ian Rennie, followed Nicholson.
Leading returns (CSS 74 75)

SCRATCH
141 M Halliday (Royal Aberdeen) 69 72.
144 B Nicholson (Royal Dornoch) 73 71, B Innes (Murcar Links) 70 74.
149 J R Macleod (Tain) 74 75.
150 I Brotherston (Dumfries & Co) 78 72.
151 G Taylor (Meldrum House) 77 74.
HANDICAP
B Nicholson (Royal Dornoch) (2) 140.
T Gordon (Royal Dornoch) (6) 145.
I Rennie (Royal Dornoch) (2) 146.
A Jarvie (Deeside) (4), R Murray (Ratho Park) (6) 148.
Individual Scratch round
N MacDonald (Muckhart) 75.
Handicap
S Mortimer (Ghyll) (6) 70.

CLUB SEC RETAINS BLACK ISLE OPEN TITLE

Local club secretary Michael Macdonald lifted a £200 first prize voucher with a successful defence of the Ness Motors Black Isle Open at Fortrose & Rosemarkie after pulling away from the field with a three under par second round 68 to win by five shots from Darren Hexley (Inverness).
They shared the lead after first round scores of one under par 70. The eventual winner made an eagle 3 at the 6th hole in his second round and Hexley struggled to a double bogey 7 at the same hole. After that the Inverness member was always struggling to catch up despite Macdonald following up his eagle with two bogeys.
Details (CSS 69 69)
(All Fortrose & Rosemarkie unless stated).
SCRATCH
138 M Macdonald 70 68.
143 D Hexley (Inverness) 70 73.
145 C Gaittens 74 71.
146 S McIntosh (Torvean) 77 69.
148 S Chisholm (Torvean) 77 71.
149 R Mackay 74 75.
HANDICAP
136 S Bassindale (6) 70 66.
138 S Mackenzie (7) 69 69, K Gaittens (4) 68 70.
140 S Fitzgerald (Torvean) (5) 75 65, A Morrison (Blairbeth) (13) 64 76.
143 D Simpson (7) 72 71.
Individual Round
Scratch: L Reid 72.
Handicap: B Vitoux (12) 67.
Isa Ross Cup: M MacDonald 138.
Newton Cup: S Bassindale (6) 136.