Grant Joss spearheads North-east effort at Forres

By ALAN JOSS of the North-east District of SGU
I thought I would send you a short report on the from the North of Scotland Junior Match-play Championships at Forres.
There were 15 North-east juniors who made the journey North to play in the event.

Handicap Section
After two days of stroke-play qualifying, Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne) qualified for the handicap section and narrowly lost 3 and 2 in the first round.

Under 18s Scratch
After two days of stroke-play qualifying, Evan Robertson (Inchmarlo) qualified for the U18 Scratch section. Evan beat Ryan Innes (Keith) 4 and 3 in the first round before losing 6 and 5 to Jordan Milne (Elgin) in the quarter-final.

Under 15s Scratch
The North-east were well represented in the U15s section where six of our boys qualified.
Lewis Mutch (Duff House Royal) was the leading qualifier on 148, beating Adam Fisher (Inchmarlo) by virtue of the better second round.
In the first match-play round;
Lewis Mutch bt C Kerr (Elgin) 3 and 2.
Jake Scott (Strathlene) lost at 19th to G Bennett (Inverness).
Grant Joss (Royal Aberdeen) bt Craig Stephen (Aboyne) at 19th.
Patrick McKenna (Alford) lost to Rory Asher (Nairn) 1 hole.
Adam Fisher lost at 20th to C MacMillan (Inverness).
In the Quarter Finals:
Lewis Mutch bt G Bennett 3 and 2.
Grant Joss bt Andrew Kenyon (Inverness) at 19th.
In the Semi Finals:
Grant Joss bt Lewis Mutch 1 hole.
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt C MacMillan 4 and 3.
In the Final:
Grant Joss bt Andrew Burgess 7 and 5.

In the final Grant got off to a flier winning the first three holes with birdies. He then had birdies at the sixth, eighth and ninth to go out in 30 (6 under par) and be five up. He then parred the first four holes in the back nine to win 7 and 5.