NORTHERN OPEN AT AVIEMORE

First-class score by ex-postman

Eddie as Spey Valley is

too tough for most of field

By NICK RODGER
(with additional words by Colin Farquharson)
Eddie Thomson, the postman-turned-pro golfer who is coached by the redoubtable Bob Torrance, harnessed the testing conditions at Spey Valley in Aviemore today to grab a share of the first-round lead in the Tartan Tour's Northern Open.
While former European No1 Ronan Rafferty and the 1995 British Amateur champion Gordon Sherry were among those who suffered in the menacing gusts, 38-year-old Thomson carved out a battling two-under-par 70 to finish alongside Edinburgh's Mark Kerr and Sean Doherty of Bury at the head of the standings.
Only five players in the huge field scored under the par of 72 over the 7,117yd, heather-lined course designed by Dave Thomas on the banks of the River Spey and in the foothills of the majestic Cairngorms. A picture postcard setting for many a golfing slaughter. There were many halves, mostly the inward nine, in the 40s - some in the high 40s, even 50s - and the average score must have been high 70s or even into the 80s.
A handful of players were able to match the inward half's par of 36, but not one bettered it.
Largs-based Thomson, who gave up his post office job almost two years ago to focus on full-time golf, made a late surge and rolled in 12ft birdie putts at both the 16th and 17th to hoist himself to the front.
"We probably got the course when it was at its toughest and I knew from seeing the scores that it would be a battle," said Thomson, whose career has been boosted by sponsorship from Greenock recruitment firm, Senit Associates.
"I didn't panic and trusted my swing and I came through. The financial support I've gained has allowed me to try full-time golf. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for that."
David Orr, who had the joint best outward half of three-under-par 33, and Craig Matheson carded tidy 71s to lurk just a shot off the pace while Stirling's Craig Lee, who played on the European Tour last year but is back to square-one on the domestic circuit again, opened with a 72.
"I've basically dropped down from the top level to the third division in one swoop and there are not many sports where that would happen," said Lee.
With the swirling wind sending scores soaring, Sherry (37-41) had to settle for a 78 while Irishman Rafferty, Europe's order of merit winner 20 years ago, failed to return his card after sending two balls out of bounds on the 18th in a turbulent round.
For David Gemmell of Aberdour it was the classic "game of two halves." He went out in 33 (a figure matched only by David Orr) but came home in 44 (eight over) for a five-over 77.
Former Scottish boys match-play champion Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) will find it impossible to equal his performance of 12 months ago when he was runner-up with a total of 277 (70-69-69-69) to Chris Doak (274). Lee required 49 blows for the inward half today and finished on 90 - which was not the worst score.
But it was not a day to criticise anyone's efforts. All the competitors deserved a medal. Those who don't survive today's halfway cut might count themselves the lucky ones! Twice round the Spey Valley "monster" in one day, as the qualifiers will have to achieve on Thursday as part of an economy move on behalf of the players (save another overnight stay) by the Scottish PGA will sort out the men from the boys.
Last year a total of 54 players with 36-hole tallies of 149 or better made the cut.
Dave Thomas designed the Spey Valley course with a view to it one day becoming an European Tour event venue. Few would doubt that it is even now a far more difficult, punishing course than the "big boys" will be playing this week in the European Open over The London Club's 7,257yd course in Kent.

SPEY VALLEY GOLF COURSE, AVIEMORE
FIRST ROUND
Par 72 (36-36). 7,118 yards.
70 Mark Kerr (unatt) 34-36, Sean Doherty (Bury) 34-36, Edward Thomson (Senit Associates) 34-36.
71 David Orr (East Renfrewshire) 33-38, Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 35-36.
72 Stephen Gray (Hayston) 35-37, Craig Lee (unatt) 36-36, Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 35-37. 73 James McGhee (Turnhouse) 34-39, Mark Barnard (Inchmarlo) 36-37, Stephen Lamb (Broomieknowe) 35-38, Stuart Pardoe (Scottish Golf Centre) 37-37, James McKinnon (Irvine) 35-38, Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon) 35-38.
74 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs GR) 36-38, Richard Pace (Hornsea) 34-40, Martyn Hamer (Ellesmere) 35-39, Steven Brown (Carnoustie Golf Links) 36-38, Craig Ronald (Carluke) 37-37.
75 Ken Campbell (Machrihanish) 37-38, Ian Graham (Crow Wood) 36-39, Graham Fox (East Kilbride) 35-30, Gordon Law (Uphall) 38-37, Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) 36-39, Steven Parry (unatt) 39-36, Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) 35-40, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 39-36.
76 Samuel Cairns (Colville Park) 36-40, David Patrick (Elie) 37-39, Jonas Hedberg (Royal Aberdeen) 38-38, Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 37-39, Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) 37-39, Kenneth Hutton (Downfield) 37-39, Gareth Wright (West Linton) 39-37, Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy) 39-37.
77 Stuart Morrison (Tain) 38-39, Andrew Fullen (Largs) 38-39, David Gemmell (Aberdour) 33-44, David Green (Dukinfield) 36-41, Stewart Savage (Dalmuir) 37-40, Henry Wong (Wellsgreen) 38-40, Iain Hannah 38-39, Colin Gillies (Perry Golf) 37-40, Stuart McKendrick (Dunkeld & Birnam) 37-40, Mark King (Kingsfield GR) 37-40, Andrew Cooper (Newmachar).
78 Stephen McNally (Scottish Inst of Sport) 39-39, Callum Nicol (Prestwick) 39-39, Craig Donnelly (Balbirnie Park) 36-42, Gordon Sherry (Kilmarnock Barassie) 37-41, Steven Duncan (Balbirnie Park) 39-39, Paul Malone (Braid Hills) 37-41, Jonathan Lomas (unatt) 37-41, Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 38-40, Christopher Hanson (unatt) 39-39, Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle) 38-40.
79 Sean O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) 38-41, Alex Belt (unatt) 37-42, Paul Brookes (Pitreavie) 37-42, Kris Andrews (Ashton on Mersey) 39-40, Neil Howitt (Nairn) (am) 37-42, Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie) 39-40, Don Garrett (Turriff) (am) 39-40, Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 39-40, Scott Catlin (Greenburn) 37-42, Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) 38-41, Aran Wainwright (Oulton Hall) 40-39.
80 George Boswell (Mearns Castle) 40-40, Michael Sweenie (Westin Turnberry), Alan Purdie (Kingsbarns) 38-42, Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle) 40-40, Gary McFarlane (Clober) 38-42, Chris Campbell (Grantown on Spey) 39-41, Murray Urquhart (Spey Valley) 38-42, Gavin Cook (Prestonfield) 40-40, Stewart McCulloch (McDonald Ellon) (am) 40-40, Ian Donaldson (Meldrum House) 40-40, Chris McCalman (unatt) 38-42, Alan E Reid (West Lothian) 39-41, Greig McSporran (Kinross) 38-42, Michael Rae (Alyth) 37-43, Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) 38-42, Anthony Mackrell (East Kilbride) 38-42, Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) 38-42.
81 Stewart Pert (Huntly) (am) 37-44. James Erksine (Portpatrick Dunskey) 39-42. David Smith (Swinton Park) 37-44, Christopher Russell (RAW golf course design) 41-40, Ewan Hogarth (Peebles) 39-42, Stuart Reekie (Blairgowrie) 40-41, Greg Paxton (Ralston) 41-40, Joe Senior (Heysham) 41-40.
82 Kevin Phillips (Winterfield) 38-44, Craig Everett (Caldwell) 38-44, Mark Loftus (Cowglen) 40-42, Ross MacDonald (Jura) 4--41, Peter Mitchell (Hermitage) 39-43, Garry Dingwall (Royal Dornoch) 44-38, Mark Hancock (Stand) 40-42, Graham Murray (Cullen) (am) 38-44, Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg) 39-43.
83 Graeme McInnes (Murcar Links) 40-43, Stuart Wilson (Eastwood) 43-40, Alastair Mackenzie (Duddingston) 44-141, Andrew Campbell (Deeside) (am) 41-42, Lee Vannet (Carnoustie Golf Links) 40-43, Alan Reid (unatt) 41-42, Robbie Stewart (Cruden Bay) 40-43, Calum Smith (Royal Musselburgh) 39-44.
84 Richard Hyland (Craibstone) 42-42, David Fleming (Prestwick) 40-44, Norman Huguet (Musselburgh) 41-43.
85 James Smallwood (Fereneze) 42-43, Alan Gowran (East Renfrewshire) 43-42, Ewan Davie (Dunblane New) 42-43, Craig MacDonald (Peterculter) 45-40.
85 Nick Robson (Meldrum House) (am) 40-45, Fraser McLaughlan (Bothwell Castle) 39-46, Jonny Sharp (The Carrick at Cameron House) 39-46.
86 Graham Mackay (Prestonfield) 43-43.
87 Gary Cooke (Liberton) 41-46, Lee McDonald (Nairn Dunbar) (am) 43-44, Grant Robertson (Lanark) 42-45, Ian Rowlands (West Linton) 45-42, Hamish Kemp (Bishopbriggs GR).
88 James Mooney (unatt) 43-45.
89 Peter McLachlan (West Kilbride) 49-40
90 Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) 41-49, Nicholas Reid (unatt) 41-49, David MacMullen (Aberdour) 44-46.
96 Paul Wilson (World of Golf) 46-50.
No returns - Graeme Stewart (Gleddoch), Ronan Rafferty (unatt).