NORTH NEWS ROUND-UP FROM ROBIN WILSON

Brora Junior Open

Brora's Iain Stewart (17) staked a claim to retain his place in his club's Northern Counties Cup team for Royal Aberdeen this month when he retained the Sutherland Junior championship at Brora last Saturday.

Played in conjunction with the Ronan Rafferty Junior Open, Stewart, who high-lighted his last season form with a silver medal in the Northern Counties event at Moray also won the Ronan Rafferty Trophy with his excellent card of 75 (37/38). Runner up to Stewart in the Rafferty competition was Eleanor Tunn (Reay) with an 81 and in third place his Brora club-mate Kyle Sutherland with 82.

This is the second year Stewart won the Sutherland championship so emulating his elder brother Calum who won back to back in 2007 and 2008.  First time recipient of the G&R Sutherland Trophy for girls was Eleanor Tunn and the runner up Rebecca Riddell (Royal Dornoch).

Results  (All Brora unless stated) – Junior 9 hole competition: 1^st Ewan Adamson (Reay) 2^nd Tom Mackenzie (Reay) Joint 3^rd. Hannah Riddell (RDGC), Connon Ross, (Reay), George Mackenzie Brora)

Girls (G&R Sutherland Handicap Trophy) Eleanor Tunn (Reay) (3) 78. Rebecca Riddell (RDGC) (28) 82. Overal Handicap – James Griffiths (nett 64) Campbell Ross (nett 67) Iain Stewart (nett 70)

Ronan Rafferty Scratch Trophy – Iain Stewart 75. Eleanor Tunn (Reay) 81  Kyle Sutherland 82. Michael MacLean 86.

Mackay Cup, Sutherland Junior Championship – I Stewart 75, K Sutherland 82. M MacLean 86.

 Picture from Junior Open at Brora. Left to right -Marlene Bokas (Brora Lady Captain), Eleanor Tunn, Iain Stewart, Michael MacLean, Rebecca Riddell and Kyle Sutherland.  

North East Golfer's successful defence at Royal Dornoch.

Opening with a one over par 72 over the Struie course North East golfer Michael Buchan laid the foundation for a successful defence of the Gardner Trophy at Royal Dornoch last Saturday as the wind rose for his afternoon round over the championship course.

Making the most of an early morning wake up call to step in and fill a space caused by a late withdrawal local member Chris Ross returned two marvellous cards of nett 72 to win the Fraser Shield which is confined to club members for the first time. Ross 's efforts were all the more worthy  as he was one of the few players to better the CSS on both courses and put a dent in his handicap of ten.

Buchan, a member of Cruden Bay where he knows a thing or two about wind, found, even with his experience struggling to break 80 on the championship course in his afternoon, but his 78 allowed him the comfort of a five shot win over local Kevin Matheson (73 on Struie and then 82) the local member one ahead of Glasgow's John Hamilton (75/81). 

Following Ross in the nett returns was visitor Ross Lane (Douglas Park) with 146  and then senior member Denis Albutt on whom the winner gained a measure of revenge after Albutt had eliminated him at the 19^th hole in the second round of the high handicap Carnegie Shield event the previous week.

Results

 SCRATCH  Gardner Trophy - Michael Buchan (Cruden Bay) 72 & 78 150. Kevin Matheson (Royal Dornoch) 73 & 82 155  John Hamilton (Glasgow) 75 & 81 156.  Lee Morrice (Banchory) 80 & 77 157  (bsr)

Open Handicap - Chris Ross (10) (Royal Dornoch) 72 & 72 144. Ross Lane (6) Dundas Parks 74 & 72 146.Denis Albutt (7) Royal Dornoch 77 & 72 149 (bsr). Bryan Urquhart (4) Royal Dornoch 73 & 76 149

 Fraser Shield (Confined) -  Chris Ross (Royal Dornoch) (10)  72 & 72, 144

Championship Course

Best Round Scratch - Derek Lambie (Easter Moffat) 80. Best Round Handicap Brian Brodie (Carrickvale)(8) 74

Struie Course

Best Round Scratch - Mark Hunter (Pitreavie) 75 (bih).Best Round Handicap John Westwood (Nairn Dunbar) (6) 73 (bih)

CSS  CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE  Member 76 R/O Visitor 76 R/O

STRUIE COURSE  Member 73 R/O Visitor 73 R/O