Mark Halliday wins Sinclair Cup again at Royal Dornoch
By ROBIN WILSON
After a one year stay in the home trophy cabinet Royal Dornoch's premier open stroke play trophy, The Sinclair Cup, is back in the clutches of Royal Aberdeen's Mark Halliday for the fifth time.
After winning at Dornoch for the first time in 2002 the Royal Aberdeen club champion was disappointed he was unable to go for a hatrick in 2009 after back to back wins in 2007 and 2008, he had also won the cup at Dornoch in 2005, but after a fabulous opening 66 on the famous Sutherland links on Saturday morning for a four stroke lead, he only had to go through the motions in his second round 74 to win again, this year by seven shots.
In his first round Halliday matched the outward nine hole par of 35 then moved up two gears over the the first four inward holes with two birdies, 10th and 13th and an eagle at the par five twelfth hole before throttling back to cruise home in 31 for a four under par 66 and seven below under the first round CSS which took his handicap down to plus plus five, one of the lowest in Scotland and certainly the North east.
Halliday had begun the season on +3 but after a ten shot victory with 64 and 67 in the Boyd Anderson at Moray added to his Royal Aberdeen championship scores he arrived in Dornoch with +4. His first round 66 (net 70) took him to +5 and a second round 74 (39/35) easily recaptured the Cup.
Heading the local challenge after the first 18 holes to follow Kevin Matheson's win last year, was Daniel Holden with a level par 70, his card featured a birdie three at Dornoch's much written about 14th hole - “Foxy”. Holder Matheson, winner the previous weekend at Golspie, struggled to an eighty while local plus handicapper, Chris Mailley, backed up Holden with a 71.
Conditions were a bit tougher in round 2, the home CSS remaining at 73 but the visitor's rising to 74, as Holden birdied the 14th for the second time to hold second place with a 77 for 147. Mailley's total rose to 148 but he was relegated to fourth place by one handicapper John Godward from McDonald-Ellon who climbed up the field for third place with an excellent second round 69. Former winner Michael Buchan (Cruden Bay) ended up in fifth scratch place with 73&76 for 149.
Six handicapper Colin Campbell (Gullane) had the steadiest of the net returns 70&72 to lead the handicap scores from local Niall Campbell (14)143. In a somewhat surprising position of third handicap was last season's Carnegie Shield runner up Ian Rennie on 144, off 2 before Dougie Brown Prestwick) (3) was fourth and Wayne Thomson (Murcar Links) (7) taking a fourth voucher Eastwards.
Results. CSS (Home 73/73, Away 73/74)
Scratch; 140 M Halliday(Royal Aberdeen) 66/74. 147 D Holden (RDGC) 70/77. 148 J Godward (McDonald-Ellon) 79/69 , C. Mailley (RDGC) 71/78. 149 M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 73/76.
Handicap – C D Campbell (Gullane) (6) 142. N. Campbell (RDGC) (8) 143. I M Rennie (The Hindhead) (2) 144. D. Brown (Prestwick) (3), W. Thomson (Murcar Links) (7) 145
By ROBIN WILSON
After a one year stay in the home trophy cabinet Royal Dornoch's premier open stroke play trophy, The Sinclair Cup, is back in the clutches of Royal Aberdeen's Mark Halliday for the fifth time.
After winning at Dornoch for the first time in 2002 the Royal Aberdeen club champion was disappointed he was unable to go for a hatrick in 2009 after back to back wins in 2007 and 2008, he had also won the cup at Dornoch in 2005, but after a fabulous opening 66 on the famous Sutherland links on Saturday morning for a four stroke lead, he only had to go through the motions in his second round 74 to win again, this year by seven shots.
In his first round Halliday matched the outward nine hole par of 35 then moved up two gears over the the first four inward holes with two birdies, 10th and 13th and an eagle at the par five twelfth hole before throttling back to cruise home in 31 for a four under par 66 and seven below under the first round CSS which took his handicap down to plus plus five, one of the lowest in Scotland and certainly the North east.
Halliday had begun the season on +3 but after a ten shot victory with 64 and 67 in the Boyd Anderson at Moray added to his Royal Aberdeen championship scores he arrived in Dornoch with +4. His first round 66 (net 70) took him to +5 and a second round 74 (39/35) easily recaptured the Cup.
Heading the local challenge after the first 18 holes to follow Kevin Matheson's win last year, was Daniel Holden with a level par 70, his card featured a birdie three at Dornoch's much written about 14th hole - “Foxy”. Holder Matheson, winner the previous weekend at Golspie, struggled to an eighty while local plus handicapper, Chris Mailley, backed up Holden with a 71.
Conditions were a bit tougher in round 2, the home CSS remaining at 73 but the visitor's rising to 74, as Holden birdied the 14th for the second time to hold second place with a 77 for 147. Mailley's total rose to 148 but he was relegated to fourth place by one handicapper John Godward from McDonald-Ellon who climbed up the field for third place with an excellent second round 69. Former winner Michael Buchan (Cruden Bay) ended up in fifth scratch place with 73&76 for 149.
Six handicapper Colin Campbell (Gullane) had the steadiest of the net returns 70&72 to lead the handicap scores from local Niall Campbell (14)143. In a somewhat surprising position of third handicap was last season's Carnegie Shield runner up Ian Rennie on 144, off 2 before Dougie Brown Prestwick) (3) was fourth and Wayne Thomson (Murcar Links) (7) taking a fourth voucher Eastwards.
Results. CSS (Home 73/73, Away 73/74)
Scratch; 140 M Halliday(Royal Aberdeen) 66/74. 147 D Holden (RDGC) 70/77. 148 J Godward (McDonald-Ellon) 79/69 , C. Mailley (RDGC) 71/78. 149 M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 73/76.
Handicap – C D Campbell (Gullane) (6) 142. N. Campbell (RDGC) (8) 143. I M Rennie (The Hindhead) (2) 144. D. Brown (Prestwick) (3), W. Thomson (Murcar Links) (7) 145
Labels: Amateur Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, July 11, 2010
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