Robin Wilson's image of the Carnegie Shield prize-winning line-up. On the left is Denis Bethune, winner of the Silver Medal as leading qualifier in this competition some 50 years ago. Denis made this year's presentation of the Silver Medal to the young man standing next to him, 16-year-old Calum Stewart (Brora), the youngest ever winner of the award. Next to Calum is the Carnegie Shield winner, local Chris Mailly, with another local on the right completing the line-up, Niall Campbell, winner of the Class 1 Davidson Shield.

Chris Mailley wins Royal Dornoch's

Carnegie Shield for first time

By ROBIN WILSON
The golf season is far from over but after capturing the Sutherland Championship in June and the James Braid Open at Brora in July, Royal Dornoch's Chris Mailley put another layer on his cake when he won his home club's premier prize, the Carnegie Shield, for the first time.
Mailley brought his season's form to the Carnegie where in the past he has always surprised his fellow members with early exits in the match-play rounds.
Indeed this was the first time he had made it past the second round , but he then became a firm favourite when he beat two former winners in the latter stages. He had a 6 and 5 win over the holder, Andrew Biggadike (US), in the quarter-final, then in his morning semi-final reached the final by way a victory over the 2007 winner, Fifer Peter Latimer who plays on the American college circuit.
Last year's losing finalist to Biggadike, Basingstoke-based member Ian Rennie began his semi- final against former international Ian Brotherston (Dumfries & County) with a birdie 3 to book his second final appearance with a win on the 17th green. He began the final in the same mode against the local favourite.
But it was the only time he was in front. Mailley won back the second hole and went into the lead with a par at the next. Mailley's only blight on a solid round was a bogey 5 at the fifth hole where his short pitch to the elevated green came up short.
He quickly had the local support back on his side with a birdie 2 at the short sixth and although Rennie was making a fight of it by winning the seventh hole, when they turned back into the wind Mailley's birdie 4 at the ninth set him on the path to the trophy.
Rennie lost a ball from the 10th tee, was bunkered at the 11th and also lost the 12th with a three-putt. Another three-putt from the man from the south on the 13th put Mailley dormie five up and his name on the Carnegie Shield at the conclusion of the 14th hole.
The large gallery following the scratch final joined the Class 1 handicap final on the 17th green where the Royal Dornoch club captain's son, Niall Campbell, age 17 (handicap 7), was up against three-handicapper Simon Harper (Castle Royle) (age 20).
Harper had just missed the scratch qualifying mark but had proved too good for the handicappers in reaching the final and had Campbell staring at a second-year final defeat (last year he lost in the Class 2 final) with the Reading visitor three ahead after six holes.
Campbell somehow regrouped and won the next four holes and as they faced the wind his local experience increased his lead to two holes before losing the 16th to a birdie 3. But as both players played ragged golf over the final two holes, two halves in 6s secured a win on the last green for the local teenager.
The Ellis Fraser Trophy did not remain in the club. It was won by Richard Scott (Aberdour) after beating Robert Sheffield (Royal Mid Surrey) at the 19th where Scott secured a winning 4 from a bunker and Sheffield three-putted for bogey 5.