STRONG NORTH-EAST TEAMS FOR NORTHERN
COUNTIES CUP AT NAIRN THIS WEEK

By ROBIN WILSON

There has not been a North-east winner of the Northern Counties Cup at the Nairn Golf Club since 1994 but with the added attraction playing the world class Nairn links that over the past decade has hosted many international events, none greater than the Walker Cup in 1999 and to look forward to the Curtis Cup in 2012, the North-east club teams starting out in quest of the Northern Counties Cup at Nairn today are at their strongest.
Peterhead, the 1994 winners at Nairn, are already into the second round having received a first round bye and their bid for another Nairn success is in the hands of club captain, Ian Forman, his son Christopher, Philip McLean and Robert Cross.
North of Scotland 72 hole champion Michael Buchan (a +3 player) leads a powerful Cruden Bay team that includes a second +3 player, Laurie Philips, scratch man Ross Cooper and Mark Christie (1). Their opening game is against the Forres second team.
Stroke play club champion Donald McAndrew heads the Royal Aberdeen first team of Alan Reith, Ewan Laird and Mike Black and they should take care of Orkney in the first round but then one of the North East challengers will make an early exit in round two when the winners of the Orkney Royal Aberdeen tie meet Newmachar who have received a bye into round 2.
Inverness and hosts Nairn have been installed as favourites to keep the cup won last year by Fortrose & Rosemarkie in the North.
Inverness, the winners when the competition last visited Nairn in 2001, have two of that winning team present again, Ryan MacDonald and Bruce Thomson. Club Secretary and former Scottish Internationalist Ewan Forbes makes his Inverness debut along with John Forbes.
In their nine previous victories Nairn's favourite venue has been Royal Dornoch where they won on three occasions including their last two of 1998 and 2004. neil hampton and Robert Smith were present in both years Steven Macdonald in 2004. All three now joined by former professional Alex Scott now get the opportunity of taking Nairn's wins into double figures beginning with a secnd round tie against Tain 2.
Cup-holders Fortrose and Rosemarkie play Royal Dornoch, the competition's most successful club with 21 wins behind them through the past 100 years and hoping to find some inspiration to end a lean spell at a venue where they enjoyed their last success in 1988.
The full draw is –
Round 1
Orkney 2 v Ellon.
Duff House Royal 2 v Brora.
Turriff v Muir of Ord 1.
Murcar Links v Cruden Bay 2.
Nairn 2 v Elgin.
Orkney 1 v Royal Aberdeen 1.
Nairn Dunbar 1 Muir of Ord 2.
Fraserburgh v Banchory.
Round 2
Fortrose & Rosemarkie 1 v Royal Dornoch.
Loch Ness v Orkney 2 or Ellon.
Tain 1 v Strathpeffer Spa.
Inverness 1 v Duff House Royal 2 or Brora.
Duff House Royal 1 v Fortrose & Rosemarkie 2.
Peterhead v Turriff or Muir of Ord 1.
Royal Aberdeen 2 v Moray 2.
Inverness 2 v Murcar or Cruden Bay 2.
Deeside v Nairn Dunbar 2.
Forres 1 v Nairn 2 or Elgin.
Inchmarlo v Moray 1.
Newmachar v Orkney 1 or Royal Aberdeen 1.
Nairn 1 v Tain 2.
Nigg Bay v Nairn Dunbar 1 or Muir of Ord 2.
Forres 2 v Cruden Bay 1.
Thurso v Fraserburgh or Banchory.