Teenager David Law (68)
wins North-east
Alliance at Edzell
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Scotland boy international David Law (Hazlehead) showed his class with a five-birdie round of three-under-par 68 to head a field of 104 at today’s North-east Alliance competition at Edzell Golf Club.
On a lovely sunny day, on a course in very good condition, 17-year-old Law, who plays off +2, birdied the third, eighth, ninth, 15th and 18th. Although he had nothing higher than a 4 on his card, David did have a couple of late bogeys, at the 14th and 17th , in halves of 33 (three under par) and 35 (level).
When I asked the youngster what parts of his game had functioned well for him to score as low as a 68. "Everything!" was the reply, accompanied with a big smile.
Law,
pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, was an Alliance competition winner last year.
It is refreshing to have talented youngsters on the North-east Alliance circuit and another one,
Scotland youth cap Philip McLean from Peterhead, had an eagle 3 at the 518yd 18th but even with that grandstand finish he came up one short of catching Law.
Philip had birdies at the first and 14th and bogeys at the sixth and 17th in halves of 36 and 33.
Joint second with McLean on the 69 mark were Craig Stephen (Meldrum House) who had five birdies, including a 2-4 finish, and last man in, Brian Nicholson (Auchmill) who, like David Law, had nothing higher than a 4 on his scorecard.
Stonehaven Golf Club captain and retired P&J Editor Harry Roulston, who plays off five, finished joint fifth on 73 with Newburgh professional Ian Bratton and Golf Monthly writer Fergus Bisset (Banchory) on the 73 mark.
Harry was the leading senior, a shot ahead of Bill Urquhart (Murcar Links).
Curtis Cup player and Scottish women’s champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) made her debut in the Alliance with a 76 which included birdies at the fourth and 17th
The last female player on the NE Alliance circuit was Elaine Wilson, who was an assistant professional at Banchory and later Blairgowrie.
In a "Bunkered" magazine interview with Elspeth Burnside, Michele says she is going to enter the Ladies European Tour School at La Manga in January. What better way to keep her game in good nick than to play on the North-east Alliance circuit until then - and maybe after January?
Once again Banchory Golf Club provided the most participants at the meeting, a point brought to my notice by Banchory club professional David Naylor who was pleased to finish ahead of his assistant, Stewart Davidson.
As NE Alliance secretary Ron Menzies said: "Once upon a time Murcar Links players were in the majority. Then it was Newmachar. Now it's Banchory."
A reminder, incidentally, that weather conditions will be the deciding factor as to whether caddie cars are allowed at next Wednesday's Alliance competition at Deeside. So, be prepared to carry your bag, unless you can somebody to carry it for you!
Players who have their names down for the early times at Deeside should arrive early. Barring the advent of frost, they should be able to get off the first tee ahead of schedule. Ron Menzies was able to get the early starters off 15 minutes early at Edzell today and it made all the difference at the end of the day when it got dark round about 4.40pm. Next Wednesday, the sunset will be 15 minutes earlier.
Leading scratch
Par 71
68 D Law (Hazlehead).
69 P McLean (Peterhead), C Stephen (Meldrum House), B Nicolson (Auchmill)..
73 I Bratton (Newburgh), H Roulston (Stonehaven), F Bisset (Banchory).
74 W S Urquhart (Murcar Links).
75 J Mooney (Turriff), R Cameron (McDonald Ellon), G Bruce (Westhill).
76 C Nelson (Mackenzie Club), S Finnie (Caledonian), Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), I Buchan (Craibstone), J Morris (Craibstone).
77 I Craik (Portlethen), L Taylor (Auchmill), S Pert (Huntly).
78 P Farnan (Royal Aberdeen), J Duncan (Newburgh), D Corkey (Murcar Links), A Graham (Portlethen), D Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen).
79 G Mitchell (Braemar), D Naylor (Banchory), C Law (Hazlehead), K Beveridge (Aboyne).
80 A Campbell (Deeside), M Jenkins (Duff House Royal).
81 F G Gray (Newmachar), G H Paterson (Northern), D Leighton (Northern).
82 H McNaughton (Cruden Bay), J Murray (Banchory), S Davidson (Banchory).
83 P Cornfield (Auchmill), C Brindley (Banchory), C Hood (Alford), R Black (Banchory), I D Smith (Hazlehead), C Alexander (Murcar Links).
84 C Buchanan (Hazlehead), M Ord (Royal Aberdeen), D Wilson (Duff House Royal).
Leading handicap
Class 1 – B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2) 67; H Roulston (Stonehaven) (5) 68; D Law (Hazlehead) (+2), C Stephen (Meldum House) (+1) 70; P McLean (Peterhead) (+2), F Bisset (Banchory) (2), J Morris (Craibstone) (5) 71; P Farnan (Royal Aberdeen) (6), A Graham (Portlethen) (6) 72; W S Urquhart (Murcar Links) (1), L Taylor (Auchmill) (4), J Duncan (Newburgh) (5) 73; G Mitchell (Braemar) (5) 74.
Class 2 – H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) (11), P Cornfield (Auchmill) (12) 71; C Brindley (Banchory) (11), M Ord (Royal Aberdeen) (12) 72; M Booth (Kemnay) (12) , H Lumsden (Northern) (18) 73; D Randall (Banchory) (15) 74; J Scott (Peterculter) (11), D Wood (Newburgh) (12) 75; K Minty (Turriff) (9), G Kelly (Peterculter) (14) 76; J Forrest (Northern) (9). S Kennedy (Craibstone) (12) 77.
ABOYNE SCORECARD
OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-5—36. IN: 4-4-4-4-3-4-4-3-5--35
DAVID LAW 68
OUT: 4-4-3-4-4-3-4-3-4—33. IN: 4-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4—35
PHILIP McLEAN 69
OUT: 3-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-5-36. IN: 4-4-4-4-2-4-4-4-3-33.
CRAIG STEPHEN 69
OUT: 3-5-3-4-4-4-4-4-4—35. IN: 4-4-4-4-3-4-5-2-4--34
BRIAN NICOLSON 69
OUT: 4-3-4-4-4-4-4-3-4--34. IN: 4-4-3-4-4-4-4-4-4--35
Labels: Alliance
