Climax to North-east Alliance season at Murcar Links

It's Cameron & Robb v Bratton

& Paterson in foursomes final

McDonald Ellon golf professionals Ross Cameron and Michele Thomson set long-standing friendship aside as they met in opposing partnerships in the semi-finals of the North-east Alliance foursomes at windswept Murcar Links today.

Ross, pictured right, and his young, big-hitting partner, Scottish schoolboys champion Chris Robb, who plays off +2 at Inchmarlo, beat Michele and her partner, golf magazine writer two-handicapper Fergus Bisset (Banchory), by 4 and 3.
In Friday morning's final (9.30), with the Evening Express Shield at stake, Cameron and Robb will play Newburgh club pro Ian Bratton and George Paterson, a Northern senior member who plays off scratch.
Bratton and Paterson won their semi-final by 5 and 4 against Inchmarlo assistant pro Craig Dempster and Murcar Links +3 member Anthony Bews.
The handicap foursomes final for the Press & Journal Shield will tee off at 9.40 and will pit two unrelated Scotts - Jim, who plays off 11 at Peterculter, and Steven, a four-handicapper at Auchmill) - against Chris Carnegie, who plays off four at Kemnay, and Gary Homer, a nine-handicapper at Lumphanan.
Steven and Jim Scott came back from four down in their opening tie and then were last-green winners in the first semi-final against John Hamilton (Murcar Links) and Steven Kennedy (Craibstone).
The other semi-final saw Carnegie and Homer win by 7 and 6 over Colin Duffus (Kemnay) and Nigel Parker (Murcar Links). Carnegie and Homer have yet to play the last three holes of the course.
Today's results:
EVENING EXPRESS SHIELD
First round
R Cameron (McDonald Ellon) & C Robb (Inchmarlo) bt R Hyland (Craibstone) & D H Clark (Duff House Royal 6 and 5.
Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) & F Bisset (Banchory) bt J Mooney (unatt) & C Stephen (Meldrum House) 5 and 4.
I Bratton (Newburgh) & G H Paterson (Northern) bt D Naylor (Banchory) & P McLean (Peterhead) 2 and 1.
C Dempster (Inchmarlo) & A Bews (Murcar Links) bt R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) & A K Pirie (Hazlehead) 4 and 2.
Semi-finals
Cameron & Robb bt Thomson & Bisset 4 and 3.
Bratton & Paterson bt Dempster & Bews 5 and 4.

Final (9.30am Friday)
R Cameron (McDonald Ellon) & C Robb (Inchmarlo) v I Bratton (Newburgh) & G H Paterson (Northern).

PRESS & JOURNAL SHIELD
First round
J M Hamilton (Murcar Links) (5) & S Kennedy (Craibstone) (12) bt G Gray (Newmachar) (6) & B Lumsden (Northern) (14) 4 and 3.
S Scott (Auchmill) (4) & J Scott (Peterculter) (11) bt R Milne (Aboyne) (5) & S Higgins (Royal Aberdeen) (10) at 19th.
C Duffus (Kemnay) (6) & N Parker (Murcar Links) (9) bt C Alexander (Murcar Links) (5) & M Booth (Kemnay) (10) 2 and 1.
G Homer (Lumphanan) (9) & C Carnegie (Kemnay) (4) bt J Roberts (Cruden Bay) (6) & D Wood (Newburgh) (12) 4 and 3.
Semi-finals
Scott & Scott bt Hamilton & Kennedy 1 hole.
Homer & Carnegie bt Duffus & Parker 7 and 6.
Final (9.40am Friday)
S Scott (Auchmill) (4) & J Scott (Peterculter) (11) v C Carnegie (Kemnay) (4) & G Homer (Lumphanan) (9).