Royal Dornoch man keeps trophy at home

Kevin Matheson regains

Sinclair Cup after late

slips by Stewart

By ROBIN WILSON
Local member Kevin Matheson was unable to be at Golspie the previous weekend to be presented with the Campbell Shield but he was on hand in his home clubhouse at the weekend to safely return the Sinclair Cup to the trophy cabinet after its two-year absence in the North East.
Matheson was the last Dornoch name to appear on the cup in 2006 and also 2004. In the others years since 2005 it has been in the hands of Royal Aberdeen's Mark Halliday. In Halliday's 2005 triumph he equalled Jimmy Gunn's amateur course record of 65.
The Royal Aberdeen member was not back defending this year but in his place in setting the morning pace and attaching a temporary North-east address label to the cup with a two under par 68 was +2 handicapper Michael Buchan (Cruden Bay). Buchan. a reinstated amateur, won the David Blair North of Scotland 72 hole stroke-play championship at Royal Dornoch in 2007.
But Buchan astonishingly vanished from the Dornoch picture in a second round 17-shot crash to an 85, leaving three players, all in the same starting group, playing a needle-tight second round with one eye on their ball and the other on their opponent's score card - Matheson, Gregor Stewart (Murcar Links), and from England, Will Dugdale (Sunningdale).
Buchan's morning 68 was three ahead of Stewart's 71, with Matheson and Dugdale a stroke behind. Also on 72 was another North-east visitor, Andrew Hepburn (Fraserburgh).
Hepburn left the main stage with a second round 78 but did finish up with a fourth place prize, courtesy of local Barry Templeton.
Stewart's first-round halves were 35 and 36, Matheson two 36s and Dugdale 35-37. When they arrived on the 10th tee of their second round the man from Sunningdale had slipped back with an outward 39. Stewart had increased his overall lead over Matheson by two shots with an outward 36 after Matheson who had birdied the fourth and sixth holes ended his front nine with three bogeys for 37.
The inward half became crucial in the race between the two for first place.
Matheson was still trailing by two with three holes remaining before Stewart ran up three bogeys on the 16th, 17th and final hole for 74 to let Matheson in to win with a level par inward count of 35 for 72 and 144. Stewart finished one behind on 145.
A trio on 150 included Hunstanton visitor Benoit Ramsey (72-78) whose net 140 led the handicap returns, allowing Dugdale's 150 (72-78) to rise to third scratch place and the gross 149 (75-74), net 143 from Templeton to move for the better second handicap position.
Buchan's two under par 68 was the best of the day and recognised with a voucher out with the main list.
PRIZEWINNERS
CSS: Home 73 75, Visitors 74 75.
Players from Royal Dornoch unless stated
Scratch
144 K Matheson 72 72.
145 G Stewart (Murcar Links) 71 74.
150 W Dugdale (Sunningdale) 72 78, A Hepburn (Fraserburgh) 72 78.
152 D Joel (Loch Ness) 80 72.
Handicap
B Ramsey (Hunstanton) (5) 140; B Templeton (3), B Nicholson (4), P Gauld (4) 143; J Kerr (Carrickvale) (5) 146.
Other prizes:
Best scratch round - M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 68.
Best handicap round - S Craig (Royal Aberdeen) (5) 67.

++ Picture above, by courtesy of Robin Wilson, shows Kevin Matheson receiving the Sinclair Cup from Royal Dornoch club captain Jim Campbell.