David Law's six-birdie
comeback in Alliance
at Fraserburgh

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Fears that a fractured knuckle on his left hand might have a detrimental effect on his future golfing career were dispelled by a six-birdie performance by Hazlehead's David Law, the Scottish boys' and men's amateur champion, at Fraserburgh today.
Making his competitive comeback after being out of action since the injury in mid-November, the result of an unprovoked, late-night assault in an Aberdeen city centre street, teenager Law, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency at Royal Troon, shot six birdies and four bogeys in returning a two-under-par round of 61 over a 16-hole winter course at the Buchan venue.
In a field of 77, that gave him a joint second finish with Robert Lamb (Newmachar) and Fraserburgh's John Mitchell behind the home course head greenkeeper, Kris Nicol, who had a bogey-free round of four-under-par 59. Nicol also won at Edzell last week.
Nicol did not have as many birdies as Law but he had nothing worse than a par on his card on a lovely sunny day when there were many favourable comments by the players about the course.
Nobody complained about playing "only" 16 holes and everyone appreciated being able to play on 13 "proper" greens.
Barring any adverse reaction, which is unlikely, Law will play in next week's Portuguese amateur international championship.
SCORES
LEADING SCRATCH
Par 63 (16 holes).
59 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh).
61 David Law (Hazlehead), John Mitchell (Fraserburgh), Robert Lamb (Newmachar).
62 Chris Campbell (Nairn Dunbar), Billy Main (Murcar Links), Brian Nicolson (Auchmill), Ian Bratton (Newburgh), George Paterson (Northern), Scott Mackie (Kemnay), Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead).]
63 Adam Lindsay (Banchory), Anthony bews (Murcar Links).
64 Paul McIntosh (Newburgh), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Scott Larkin (Banchory).
65 David Corkey (Murcar Links), James Mark (Fraserburgh), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian), Fergus Bisset (Banchory).
66 Laura Murray (Alford).
HANDICAP
Class 1 - R Lamb (Newmachar) (4) 57; S Mackie (Kemnay) (4) 58; B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2), A K Pirie (Hazlehead) (2), P McIntosh (Newburgh) (4), J Mark (Fraserburgh) (5) 60.
Class 2 - I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11), D Townsley (Peterculter) (13), J Jessieman (Oldmeldrum) (13) 59; G Homer (Lumphanan (9) 60; N Stewart (Northern) (11) 61.
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+Next week's Alliance will be held at Murcar Links. On Wednesday, February 24, Buckpool will be the rearranged venue in place of Turriff.
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FRASERBURGH WINTER COURSE CARD: Par 63 (16 holes).
OUT: 4-4-4-3-5-4-4--28. IN: 4-4-4-4-3-5-4-3-4--35

KRIS NICOL 59
OUT: 4-4-3-3-5-4-4--27. IN: 3-4-4-3-3-5-3-3-4--32

DAVID LAW 61
OUT: 5-4-3-3-5-3-4--27. IN: 3-3-4-5-3-4-5-4-3--34

JOHN MITCHELL 61
OUT: 5-4-5-3-5-3-4--29. IN: 3-4-4-3-2-5-5-3-3--32

ROBERT LAMB 61
OUT: 5-4-3-4-5-3-4--28. IN: 4-3-5-3-3-5-4-3-3--33