McWilliam surprise winner of North District title
By ROBIN WILSON
Former Garmouth and Kingston member Neil McWilliam, who last year came third in the championship and has since switched his home club to Elgin, was the surprise winner of the silver medal and NDA Cup at Castle Heather last weekend when the North District Association staged their 2010 championship.
Other than playing in a pre-season trial match against a youth team, McWilliam, a local Moray area joiner to trade, has still to make it into a full North representative team but that should now all change after he skilfully attached two stable rounds together over the hilly course that overlooks Inverness and and is home of the city's Loch Ness Golf Club.
Against a stiff course par of 73 for the 6772 yard inland venue and not too unfamiliar with its design, the first- time champion broke par twice. After a first round of two-under-par 71, McWilliam went three better in the afternoon with a 68 to hold off another surprise challenger, 18-year-old Cameron Nelson from Inverness but whose home club is Nairn.
Nelson's rounds of 72 and 68 left him finishing just one stroke behind the champion and one in front of Inverness Golf Club member, John Forbes who returned cards of 70 and 71. Forbes' better second round gained him third place.
Defending champion Bryan Fotheringham, now a clubmate of Forbes at Inverness, put up a good defence of his two-year reign as North District champion after beginning with a 69 and following up with a 72 for fourth place on 141
Nelson's gross 140 entitled him to win the Murray Watt Youth Championship Trophy but he chose a larger valued prize voucher and bronze medal as runner up to McWilliam, something he might regret when the voucher is spent and his name is not on the trophy or in the record books.
The Murray Watt Trophy passed down to Gavin Hay (Grantown on Spey), not a hollow win by any means as his scores of 69 and 73 for 142 were still of championship quality. In second place, a shot behind, was Steven Burgess (Nairn) (73-70).
Freddie Brown (Nairn Dunbar) (73-71) came third, followed by defending champion Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon) who followed up his opening 68 with a 77.
The championship gave the Castle Heather course a new course record. Inverness member Alan Cameron slashed 12 shots from his first round 78 to return a card of 66 which set a new record low score for the altered course.
Results:
North District Championship.
Loch Ness Golf Club.
LEADING TOTALS (CSS 69 69).
139 N McWilliam (Elgin) 71 68.
140 C Nelson (Nairn) 72 68.
141 J Forbes (Inverness) 70 71, B Fotheringham (Inverness) 69 72.
142 M Ferries (Tain) 69 73.
144 R A L Cameron (Inverness) 78 66, R Clarke (Moray) 73 71, N Pears (Nairn Dunbar) 72 72.
Youths Championship
142 G. Hay (Grantown on Spey) 69 73.
143 S Burgess (Nairn) 70 73.
145 F Brown (Nairn Dunbar) 73 71.
145 L McAlpine (Invergordon) 68 77.
Handicap:
136 C Black (Inverness).
138 E Barras (Loch Ness).
142 M Manson (Fortrose & Rosmarkie)
.
By ROBIN WILSON
Former Garmouth and Kingston member Neil McWilliam, who last year came third in the championship and has since switched his home club to Elgin, was the surprise winner of the silver medal and NDA Cup at Castle Heather last weekend when the North District Association staged their 2010 championship.
Other than playing in a pre-season trial match against a youth team, McWilliam, a local Moray area joiner to trade, has still to make it into a full North representative team but that should now all change after he skilfully attached two stable rounds together over the hilly course that overlooks Inverness and and is home of the city's Loch Ness Golf Club.
Against a stiff course par of 73 for the 6772 yard inland venue and not too unfamiliar with its design, the first- time champion broke par twice. After a first round of two-under-par 71, McWilliam went three better in the afternoon with a 68 to hold off another surprise challenger, 18-year-old Cameron Nelson from Inverness but whose home club is Nairn.
Nelson's rounds of 72 and 68 left him finishing just one stroke behind the champion and one in front of Inverness Golf Club member, John Forbes who returned cards of 70 and 71. Forbes' better second round gained him third place.
Defending champion Bryan Fotheringham, now a clubmate of Forbes at Inverness, put up a good defence of his two-year reign as North District champion after beginning with a 69 and following up with a 72 for fourth place on 141
Nelson's gross 140 entitled him to win the Murray Watt Youth Championship Trophy but he chose a larger valued prize voucher and bronze medal as runner up to McWilliam, something he might regret when the voucher is spent and his name is not on the trophy or in the record books.
The Murray Watt Trophy passed down to Gavin Hay (Grantown on Spey), not a hollow win by any means as his scores of 69 and 73 for 142 were still of championship quality. In second place, a shot behind, was Steven Burgess (Nairn) (73-70).
Freddie Brown (Nairn Dunbar) (73-71) came third, followed by defending champion Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon) who followed up his opening 68 with a 77.
The championship gave the Castle Heather course a new course record. Inverness member Alan Cameron slashed 12 shots from his first round 78 to return a card of 66 which set a new record low score for the altered course.
Results:
North District Championship.
Loch Ness Golf Club.
LEADING TOTALS (CSS 69 69).
139 N McWilliam (Elgin) 71 68.
140 C Nelson (Nairn) 72 68.
141 J Forbes (Inverness) 70 71, B Fotheringham (Inverness) 69 72.
142 M Ferries (Tain) 69 73.
144 R A L Cameron (Inverness) 78 66, R Clarke (Moray) 73 71, N Pears (Nairn Dunbar) 72 72.
Youths Championship
142 G. Hay (Grantown on Spey) 69 73.
143 S Burgess (Nairn) 70 73.
145 F Brown (Nairn Dunbar) 73 71.
145 L McAlpine (Invergordon) 68 77.
Handicap:
136 C Black (Inverness).
138 E Barras (Loch Ness).
142 M Manson (Fortrose & Rosmarkie)
.
Labels: Amateur Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Thursday, May 27, 2010
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