Robin Wilson's picture (left to right): Jim Miller, Sandy Mackenzie (captain of Golspie GC), tournament winner Bruce Thomson, and Class 2 runner-up Michael J Bonner (Golspie). Click on the image to enlarge it.

Bruce Thomson wins Golspie Classic

by three shots from Jim Miller

By ROBIN WILSON
Jim Miller, Brora's top golfer over FIVE decades, made a valiant attempt to win a Golspie Classic Trophy before finishing second behind a player to whom he was giving away almost 40 years in age.
Inverness's Bruce Thomson was just seven years old when Miller won the inaugural Golspie Classic 21 years ago. Miller was returning to the venue where he set the first course record of 65 more than 30 years ago before it was lowered to 64 during the British Amateur qualifying rounds of 1985.
After course changes, a new low mark of 64 was claimed byby Ross MacDonald (Channels Golf Club) in the Golspie Classic of 2005.
Another change to the Golspie course was brought into use for the first time last weekend, a new tee adding extra yards to the 15th hole “Tattie Pits” but with Thomson's first round 68 the Inverness player has now been credited with the latest course record score.
His figures for 68 (one under par) were:
OUT : 4-2-4-5-4-3-4-4-5 = 35.
IN: 3-3-4-4-4-4-3-3-5 = 33.
Thomson is no stranger to winning at Golspie, Four years ago in the August tournament he won the Sinclair Cup after a blistering second round card of 65. His new record card of 68 was inspired by a birdie 2 at the second hole, only for it to be given back to the course with a not uncommon bogey 5 at Paradise.
He was soon again under par with two birdies over the first five inward holes, the 11th and par five 14th. A four from the new tee at the 15th was followed by two par threes only to be blemished with a bogey finish for inward 33 and one under par 68.
As one of the last to leave the course Thomson went into an overnight three-stroke lead from Iain Powell (Murcar Links) (37-34), John Turner (Tyneside) (35-36), and Daniel Holden (Royal Dornoch) (35-36).
Turner and Holden both featured birdie twos on their cards at the short sixth hole while Powell after a birdie two at the 17th took five down the last hole for his 71.
Tucked in behind these three came Miller, who celebrates his 66th birthday this week and matching the “young guns” birdies on the 6th hole in two halves of 36 for his threatening 72. But all these birdies at the sixth hole were out shone by local member, Larry Stewart's eagle on Sunday when he holed out in one from the sixth tee.
Sunday's wind direction changed and it was the old wise head of the Brora maestro who coped best in the chasing pack. The strengthening wind from the West also brought some rain to the early starters. Turner's 36 hole total rose to 146 with a 75, he went 6-7 at the 14th and 15th holes for an inward 39.
Holden soared to a 79 from an inward 42 and only Powell was able to recover from an outward 38 to come home in 35 his 73 for 144 leaving him in eventual third place behind Miller.
Legend Miller, Brora's only remaining plus one handicapper, carved out a flawless first nine for 35 and going below par with a birdie at the 13th looked a winner. The crack on his card came with a three putt on the next green before a dropped shot at “Tattie Pits” and a closing bogey slipped his finishing count back to what was still a tremendous 71 and the best of Sunday's cards.
Had Thomson been aware of the leading 36 hole total of 143 posted by Miller, who knows if the extra pressure might have altered the end result? But again playing near the end of the field the 28 year old local government officer with Highland Council, Tech Services, recovered from a three bogey run at the far end of the course and an outward card of 37 to compose a workmanlike inward one over par count of 35, saving pars on the final two greens with single putts for a commendable three shot win.
Tyneside's John Turner after slipping back to fourth scratch place with his gross 146 still found himself the recipient of the Class 1 handicap trophy for the nett of 138. His opening 71 was reduced to 67 and he was able to hold onto first place with a second round nett 71 for 138 and a three shot win over Andrew Watt (Tain) with handicap 8 for netts of 70 & 71. Watt was in turn one ahead of Gordon Sutherland (RDGC) who holed a vital five foot putt on the last green to get the card play-off verdict for third place over his Dornoch club mates Kristian Sinclair and Hamish Macrae.
In Class 2, local members Colin Mackay and Michael J. Bonner were separated by a single shot. Mackay with handicap 14 scoring 72 and 71 for 143 and Bonner (hdc 13) returning 75 & 69. Third place went to D. Godsman (Kemnay) (20) 77/72, 149.
The presentation of trophies was made by Golspie Club Captain Sandy MacKenzie, who was introduced by Vice Captain John Davies.
LEADING SCORES
CSS 70 & 70 (visitors and locals)
Scratch
140 B. J. Thomson (Inverness) 68 72.
143 J. Miller (Brora) 72 71.
144 I. S. Powell (Murcar Links) 71 73.
146 J. Turner (Tyneside) 71 75.
147 D. Hexley (Inverness) 74 73.
150 K. G. Sinclair (RDGC) 74 76, D. Holden (RDGC) 71/79.
151 A. Powell (Deeside) 75/76, A. MacDonald (RDGC) 74/77.
153 D.W. R. Chalmers (Panmure) 74/79.
155 W. H. Macrae (RDGC) 79/76.
Handicap
Class 1. - J. Turner (Tyneside ( 4) 138. A. Watt (Tain) (8) 141. G. Sutherland )(RDGC) (7) 142.
Class 2 – C. Mackay (Golspie) (14) 143. M. J. Bonner (Golspie) (13) 144. D. Godsman (Kemnay) (20) 149.

Brora Mixed Foursomes

Handicap winners in their début mixed foursomes at Brora in June 2006 then following up as winners of the scratch salver three month later, father and daughter Dougall and Gemma Chalmers (16) (Panmure) recaptured the scratch salver for a second time over the Brora links last Sunday with a super gross score score of 74.