North Golf Alliance fixture Thurso Golf Club.

Tony Gill wins at Thurso

from Robin Wilson

After a card play-off new North Golf Alliance Secretary, Tony Gill (Brora) [pictured right driving from final tee] had a maiden scratch win at the Thurso fixture on Sunday

Beginning his round with a birdie three the recently appointed Alliance secretary finished his eighteen holes with a second birdie to card an inward half of 33 for first place beating local member member Bryan Ronald's inward card after both players shared two over par returns of 71, Gill 38/33 and Ronald 37/34.

Following his opening birdie, Gill, who is also the Brora Club Secretary, slid back to three over par, dropping shots at the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and ninth holes. The ninth ended his trail of bogies against the card before his decisive winning birdie on the final green.

Local member, Ronald, immediately fell behind to par with an opening bogey and dropped another shot against par at the 5th hole. Two birdies, 11th and 13th, and two bogies, 10th and 17th over the final nine holes matched the inward par of 34 to lose the last nine hole comparison by a stroke.
Tarbat Greenkeeper Mike Keay always enjoys his trips into Caithness and the return journey even more so after a nett 68, off 7, placed him second handicap in Class 1. With the fixture on his own course next Sunday Keay has an opportunity to launch a bid to regain the MacKintosh Salver he won two seasons ago. Keay came second to Reay's Grant Maxwell who went first with a best of the day nett 66, off 7, following his second place at Durness the previous weekend.

With fair weather and quality putting surfaces it was a bit surprising to see the scoring so high in Category two. A nett 74, off 12, from Reay Golf Club Captain Ian Ross headed the scores just one ahead of a trio on nett 75 that included his Reay member Pete McCartney, Lachie Ross (Durness) and Peter Etheridge (Brora).

Results. Scratch – A. J. Gill (Brora) (38/33), B, Ronald (Thurso) (37/34)71. D. A. MacKay (Thurso) 72. J. Sangster (Thurso) (39/34), G. Maxwell ((Reay) (37/36) 73. E. Mackenzie (Thurso), M. Keay (Tarbat) 75. R. J. Wilson (Brora) 76. J. O'Brien (Reay), C, Burness (Thurso) 77. Handicap Class 1 – G. Maxwell (Reay) (7) 66. M. Keay (Reay) (7) 68. E. Mackenzie (Thurso) (5), D. A. Mackay (Thurso) (2) 70. Class 2 – I. Ross (Reay) (12) 74. P. McCartney (Thurso) (13), L. Ross (Durness) (13), P. Etheridge (Brora) (12) 75.