Almost as bad as Murcar in 2005, says Peterhead player

McLean ties with Stephen for

honours at snowy Montrose

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Scotland youth cap Philip McLean (Peterhead), pictured right earlier today by Cal Carson Golf Agency, coped with the worst of the snow showers to share the honours with early starter Craig Stephen on two-under-par 66 at today’s North-east Golfers’ Alliance meeting at Montrose Links.
“The last time I played in weather like that was the Scottish boys' championship at Murcar Links in 2005 when play was suspended because our golf balls gathered the snow and became virtually like snow balls,” said Philip who recalls that it was the referee in his match who considered that the conditions were getting a bit farcical and his message back to base persuaded the SGU officials to call all the players in.
“It was a bit like that here at Montrose, certainly in the later stages. But you have to make the best of it and I had only one bogey, at the fifth, and three birdies, at the sixth, 14th and 15.”
In contrast, the early starters in a field of 54, had little or no snow to contend with and several hours of sunshine. Stephen made the most of these favourable conditions to have an eagle 3 at the 522yd 15th and birdies at the 10th and 13th. His two bogeys came at the 11th and 16rh. Both McLean and Stephen, despite their differing tee times, had halves of 33.
Former P&J Editor Harry Roulston, the Stonehaven club captain, finished third with his best ever scratch score of 67, thanks to birdies at the 14th and 15th and only one bogey, at the eighth in halves of 34 and 33. Harry, who has a handicap of four these days, had the best net score of 63 in Class 1 of the handicap returns. Incidentally, Harry was a Scottish tennis champion in his younger days when he was based in Edinburgh.
Ian Strachan (Royal Aberdeen), playing off 12, had the best net return in Class 2 - a 64. LEADING SCRATCH
Par 68
66 C Stephen (Meldrum House), P McLean (Peterhead).
67 H Roulston (Stonehaven).
68 R Cameron (McDonald Ellon).
69 S Finnie (Caledonian), C Law (Hazlehead).
70 J Nicolson (Auchmill), C Nelson (MacKenzie Club), B Nicolson (Auchmill).
71 D Law (Hazlehead).
73 D Clark (Duff House Royal), S Pert (Huntly).
74 A Campbell (Deeside), S Cooper (Banchory).
75 S Murray (Newburgh).
76 D McKay (Caledonian), I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen), D Wilson (Duff House Royal), C Brindley (Banchory), S Chalmers (Banchory), D Garrett (Turriff), A Innes (Murcar Links).
77 C Cassie (Nigg Bay).
78 D Bisset (Banchory).
79 J Murray (Banchory), N Parker (Murcar Links).
80 J Borthwick (Craibstone), J Scott (Peterculter), K Minty (Turriff), J Penny (Huntly).
81 W Forbes (Murcar Links).
84 J Roberts (Cruden Bay), R Brown (Craigstone).
85 D MacKay (Newmachar), M Brown (Craibstone).
86 F G Gray (Newmachar), D Lawrie (Inchmarlo).
87 S Kennedy (Craibstone).
LEADING HANDICAP
Class 1 – H Roulston (Stonehaven) (4) 63; C Law (Hazlehead) (3) 66; C Stephen (Meldrum House) (+1) 67; S Cooper (Banchory) (6), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (2), B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2) 68; C Cassie (Nigg Bay) (8), S Finnie (Caledonian) (scr), P McLean (Peterhead) (+3) 69; S Murray (Newburgh) (5) 70; S Pert (Huntly) (2) 71; J Borthwick (Craibstone) (8), J Murray (Banchory) (7), D Clark (Duff House Royal) (1), D Wilson (Duff House Royal) (4), A Innes (Murcar Links) (4) 72.
Class 2 – I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (12) 64; C Brindley (Banchory) (11) 65; M Brown (Craibstone) (18), J Penny (Huntly) (13) 67; J Scott (Peterculter) (11), W Forbes (Murcar Links) (12), D Bissett (Banchory) (9) 69; N Parker (Murcar Links) (9) 70; K Minty (Turriff) (9) 71; R Brown (Craibstone) (12), D Lawrie (Inchmarlo) (14) 72; S Kennedy (Craibstone) (12) 75.

MONTROSE LINKS WINTER SCORECARD: Par 68

OUT: 4-4-3-4-3-4-4-3-4--33. IN: 4-4-3-4-4-5-3-4-4--35

TOP CARDS TODAY

PHILIP McLEAN 66

OUT: 4-4-3-4-4-3-4-3-4--33. IN: 4-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-4--33.

CRAIG STEPHEN 66

OUT: 4-4-3-4-3-4-4-3-4--33. IN: 3-5-3-3-4-3-4-4-4--33

HARRY ROULSTON 67

OUT: 4-4-3-4-3-4-4-4-4--34. IN: 4-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-4--33

ROSS CAMERON 68

OUT: 4-3-3-4-3-3-4-4-4-32. IN: 4-5-3-3-4-4-4-6-3--36

Weather permitting, next week's NE Alliance meeting is at Kintore.