Fortrose & Rosemarkie win Ross Leagues.

By ROBIN WILSON

Home club Fortrose & Rosemarkie completed a clean sweep over visiting clubs Alness and Invergordon to win Ross Singles League and the Highland Fabricators Cup for the first time since 2003 at their Channory Point course .
Alness were first to be crushed 5-0 in the semi final and it was the same result in the final against the cup holders, Invergordon although three of the games were much closer. Invergordon who have the best record of all the Ross shire clubs in the competition, eleven previous wins, fought their way into another final with a 4-1 semi final result over Tain.
Invergordon's only loser in this tie was Craig Cameron and he paid the price by being sacrificed for the final by being put out first to play Fortrose's top player, Michael MacDonald. Cameron only got another twelve holes as MacDonald put his club's first point of the final on the score sheet.
The second game between Chris Gaittens and Invergordon's North Youth Champion Lyle McAlpine was the closest of the five. Gaitten's won it on the back nine at the 18th after being level at the turn.

The local won the 12th and 15th holes, the 15th with a birdie but when putting for a birdie on the 17th to win he missed and missed the return but got the necessary half of the final green for point number two.
Lewis Reid, the second of three teenagers in Fortrose's team showed how he became the Fortrose club champion to Invergordon's club champion with a fightback that saw him win four holes in six and then go dormy five up at the 13th and win by driving the next green to win 6&4.
At 3-0 ahead the cup was now in Fortose's possession and their second emphatic 5-0 rout was completed by the youngest and oldest players in their team.

Michael Manson (16), with birdies on the 15th and 16th, beat Ali MacDonald 2&1 and Robert Mackay (57), also with a birdie on the 16th, beat James Fraser 3&2 in the last game.

Later results:

SEMI-FINALS
Invergordon 4,Tain 1

L. McAlpine bt M. Ferries 2 holes, Andrew Gilmour bt R I Mackenzie 1 hole, A MacDonald bt D Vass 4 and 2, J Fraser beat G. MacKintosh 1 hole, C. Cameron lost to A. Bell 5 and 4.
Fortrose & Rosemarkie 5, Alness 0

M MacDonald bt R Black 6 and 4, C Gaittens bt G Dunbar 6 and 5, L Reid bt S McCloy 8 and 7, M Manson bt D Stevenson 2 and 1, R Mackay bt G Hart 6 and 4.
FINAL

Fortose & Rosemarkie 5, Invergordon 0

M MacDonald bt Cameron 8 and 7.

Gaittens bt McAlpine 1 hole.

Reid bt Gilmour 6 and 4.

Manson bt A MacDonald 2 and 1.

Mackay bt Fraser 3 and 2.

CAPTION TO ROBIN WILSON'S PICTURE ABOVE
Front kneeling , Fortrose and Rosemarkie's teenagers, with the Highland Fabricators Cup front kneeling, left to right- Lewis Reid, Chris Gaittens, Michael Manson. Back row – Andrew Gilmour (Invg), Ali MacDonald (Invg) Michael MacDonald , club captain Alan Murray, Craig Cameron (Invg)Lyle McAlpine (Invg). John Fraser(Invg) and Robert Mackay.-