THURSO DUO TOP RETURNS IN NORTH ALLIANCE AT INVERGORDON

By ROBIN WILSON
The Thurso double act of Dougie Thorburn and Bryan Ronald headed the ratings in the North Golf Alliance fixture at Invergordon.
Thorburn has been beaten only twice in seven outings this season, surprisingly both came at Caithness venues, his home course fixture last October where Tain's Mike Sangster came out on top and then at neighbouring Reay last month where Wick's David Dunbar brought in the winning scratch score.
The one fixture that Thorburn missed was the opening one at Durness where it allowed his clubmate Ronald to record his only win.
Making a return to the course where he was previously a member Ronald bagged his second runner's up place at Invergordon, but Thorburn's whirlwind season continued with his fifth scratch win when he returned a three over par card of 71 (36-35) to win by two shots from his clubmate, who had halves of 37 and 36.
Ferries and Moran were joined on the 75 mark by a second Tain member, Mike Sangster, but playing with a handicap of seven Moran easily moved into first place in the Class 1 handicap list with a nett 68.
Wick's Andy Mackay came second with nett 70, off 6, before Tain's Raymond Lockie beat off his two club mates Sangster and Steven Holmes for third place after a better inward half card count back.
All three had nett scores of 72, but Lockie, a contender for the Mackintosh Salver, found his 72 did not improve on his 72 hole aggregate count of 276 in the race for the Mackintosh Salver while Sangster's 72 completed his mandatory four scores to bring him into a challenging position for the handicap trophy.
A second place nett 68 in the Class 2 section from Durness's Francis Keith reduced his running total to 273. Keith lost the first place in his section on a count back to Steve Osbourne (Thurso) as the Caithness entry took three of the four prizes, Ally Simpson and Angus Cameron completing the scoring with nett 73s
With a miracle score of 64 twelve months at the final fixture played over his home course, Tain's Munro Ferries shattered Doug Thorburn's dream of winning the Scratch Quaich for the first time but now trailing Thorburn's four-score aggregate by 16 shots going into this season's final fixture at Royal Dornoch next weekend an upset this year is off the Richter scale.
Tain's Sangster by completing the mandatory fourth score and adding to his three previous nett 70 returns joins Lockie on the trail of Keith for the handicap trophy and Keith at the final fixture will also have to ward off Wick's David Dunbar. Also to be played out at Dornoch is the Alliance Shield Trophy for club scores.

Invergordon Alliance Results
Scratch – D Thorburn (Thurso) 71; B Ronald (Thurso) 73; M Ferries (Tain), M Moran (Invergordon), M Sangster (Tain) 75.
Handicap
Class 1 – M Moran (Invergordon) (7) 68; A Mackay (Wick) (6) 70; R Lockie (Tain) (9), M Sangster (Tain) (3) 72; S Holmes (Tain) (4) 73.
Class 2 – S Osbourne (Thurso) (20), F R M Keith (Durness) (12) 68. A Simpson (Thurso) (19) , A Cameron (Thurso) (11) 73.


ROYAL DORNOCH INVEST IN ECO-FRIENDLY
EQUIPMENT - SIX NEW HYBRID MOWERS
By ROBIN WILSON
The leading American golf publication, Links, has recently issued its 2012 survey on the World's top 100 golf courses and Royal Dornoch has come in at number twelve.
Royal Dornoch is one of only three Scottish courses in the top twenty, it is accompanied by St. Andrews rated at number three in the world and Muirfield just ahead of Royal Dornoch at number eleven.
Other Scottish courses featuring in the magazine's "Glorious 100" are Turnberry (24), Carnoustie (34), North Berwick (45), Kingsbarns (53), Cruden Bay (61) and Royal Troon (66). Topping the list is America's Cypress Point followed by Pine Valley.
Royal Dornoch could be on track to rise even further up the rankings after going down the eco-friendly route on course equipment. Delivery of six revolutionary Toro Greensmaster Triflex Hybrid greens mowers has just recently been completed, the first four arrived late last year and during the winter month's Head Greenkeeper Eoin Riddell and his staff staff have been getting used to the change in operating them.
All six of the environmentally-friendly mowers, featuring all-electric cylinder drives, have now been delivered and Riddell and his staff are delighted with them.
“We wanted the hybrids to reduce the chance of hydraulic leaks, we are impressed by the way the mowers follow the contours of the ground – the cutting units just hug the surface to give a really nice clip”.
This is good news for the hundreds of visiting golfers who will play over the classic Dornoch links this season and especially the cream of Scottish amateur golfers who will arrive in August to challenge for the Scottish amateur championship.

CALLUM MACAULAY HOPING FOR SOME WIND IN COLOMBIA

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR
By NEIL AHERN
Callum Macaulay enters this week’s Pacific Rubiales Colombia Classic on confident form after a tied third place finish in the Challenge Tour’s season-opener in India in January and the Falkirk-born man will be hoping the windy conditions will once again play into his hands.
Macaulay boldly predicted big things for 2012 prior to the Gujarat Kensville Challenge but his confidence was proven justified after he picked up his highest finish since the 2009 Madeira Islands Open, finishing just two shots shy of Rahil Gangjee and Max Kieffer, who eventually won in India after a play-off.
With a spring in his step, the former Scottish Amateur champion now heads into his second tournament of the season after spending some time in the USA fine-tuning his short game.
“I’m looking forward to it this week,” said the 28 year old. “It’s the second tournament of the year and it’s been a while since India so I can’t wait to get back out playing.
“It was a nice start. Anytime you can be up there with a chance of winning is always good so hopefully that’ll continue and I feel like I’ve been working on the right things. I spent a week on Sea Island in Georgia last week so the preparation’s been good and I feel good and ready to go.”
One of the major talking points ahead of this week’s inaugural Pacific Rubiales Colombia Classic is the strong winds at Country Club de Barranquilla, on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, but it is something which played into Macaulay's hands in India and he is hoping that it will once more prove the case.
“It’s windy out there,” he said, “I’ve been joking with my Dad recently that every time I’ve played golf of late, I’m telling him it’s the windiest I’ve seen it. I said it in India, then when practicing in Spain and again here and he just started laughing!
“I’m sure I have played in wind like this before but because it’s high up and there are a few tight holes you just have to watch what you’re doing and just get it in play. There’s going to be a huge premium on the short game this week, there are going to be a lot of missed greens, so whoever chips and putts best is going to have a great chance. I’ve been working on that part of my game recently though, so I’m confident.
“Some weeks you can have it flat in the morning and windy in the afternoon but I think it’s all day here so it’s going to be an interesting week given that it’ll be the same for everyone.”
Macaulay is joined this week by six compatriots, including Chris Doak and Raymond Russell, who both occupied tied sixth spot in India, while Lloyd Saltman returns to the Challenge Tour after a disappointing season on The European Tour last year.
Meanwhile, three-time European Tour winner Nick Dougherty makes his Challenge Tour debut and his first start of 2012 as the Englishman hopes to bounce back from the setback of a disappointing season last year, when he made just one cut in 34 appearances in The Race to Dubai.
Kieffer is one of the favourites this week after the German claimed his maiden Challenge Tour victory at the Gujarat Kensville Challenge, while Paul Dwyer and Andreas Hartø also return to action this week high on confidence, having finished alongside Macaulay in tied third.
The Pacific Rubiales Colombia Classic is the first co-sanctioned tournament between the Challenge and Pacific Colombia Tours and carries a prize fund of $250,000.
It will be the first time the Challenge Tour has visited Country Club de Barranquilla, a challenging golf course set on the outskirts of the city of Barranquilla and adjacent to the picturesque estuary where the River Magdalena meets the Caribbean Sea.


















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HANSE DESIGN SELECTED FOR 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES GOLF IN RIO

NEWS RELEASE
The Rio 2016™ Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games has selected US based Hanse Golf Course Design to design the golf course in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games in 2016, when golf returns to the programme after an absence of 112 years.
Hanse Golf Course Design (who were responsible for creating the Castle Stuart course between Inverness and Nairn) was selected from eight finalists as the candidate that most aptly met the selection criteria that were issued by Rio 2016™. The proposal was cited for its design characteristics, including accentuation of the natural dune formations and retention of the natural contours of the land.
The design effectively addresses the planning of temporary overlay structures and internal flow systems for the venue and contains a strong legacy component with the prioritising of a golf academy as an essential tool for the development of golf in Brazil. The design also considers the location of permanent buildings and the experience of players and spectators.
Gilbert S. Hanse, 48, the founder and President of the successful company, boasts a portfolio of internationally renowned golf courses recognised by elite and amateur golfers alike.
Hanse Golf Course Design has teamed up with LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member, Amy Alcott, for the project. Alcott amassed 29 professional victories on the LPGA Tour including five major championship victories. They will work closely with environmental and sustainability engineering firms in the final design process and advocate the use of native vegetation and a minimum of land movement.
Hanse has committed to relocating to Rio while the golf course is under construction.
“As it marks the return of golf to the Olympic Games after over a century of absence, this course represents the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the sport. It will enable Rio to host important events in the international calendar and it will be an example of sustainability and preservation of an environmentally protected area,” said the President of Rio 2016™, Carlos Arthur Nuzman.
“This course will be an excellent facility for the practice and development of golf and will inspire millions of youth across Brazil and the globe. We look forward to welcoming the athletes and spectators to the course in 2016.”
Peter Dawson, President of the International Golf Federation, said, “The IGF would like to thank all of the architects who worked so hard on their bids and whose presentations demonstrated great vision. The selection process adopted by Rio 2016™ was extremely thorough and reflected the importance of the project.
"I am delighted Hanse Golf Course Design has been appointed to design the Olympic golf course which promises to provide an outstanding venue for the Games and a tremendous legacy for our sport in Brazil.”

+Hanse Golf Course Design was formed in 1993 by Gil Hanse and joined in 1995 by his partner and Vice-President, Jim Wagner. With headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania, the firm has dedicated its professional practice to the hands-on creation and restoration of some of the finest golf facilities in the world by creating golf courses which are fun and interesting to both professional and recreational golfers.
In 2009, Hanse was elected “Architect of the Year” by Golf Magazine, and in the same year his Castle Stuart golf course in Scotland was considered to be “the Best New International Course.”
The eight contest finalists included: Gary Player Design, Greg Norman Golf Course Design, Hanse Golf Course Design, Hawtree Ltd., Nicklaus Design, Renaissance Golf Design, Robert Trent Jones II and Thomson Perrett.

DUKE'S ASSISTANT MARTIN WINS MIDLAND ALLIANCE PRIZE AT ELIE

Alan Martin, an assistant professional at The Duke's course, St Andrews, won the individual scratch prize with a fine round of level par 70 in cold and windy conditions for the Midland Alliance's Eddie Sherry pro-am at Golf House Club, Elie in Fife today.
There was a three-way tie for first place in the team competition. The Crieff quartet of assistant professional Sam McLean, six-handicapper Ken MacKenize, Dennis Ritchie, who plays off 10, and Eric Starritt, who plays off 13, won the card play-off with the best inward half.

Leading Scratch Scores
Par 70
70 A Martin (Crieff).
72 P Wytrazek (Burntisland).
73 M Pirie (Pitlochry), A J Webster (Edzell).
74 C Armstrong (Burntisland), S McLaren (Crieff).
76 N McGill (Noah's Ark), J Stevenson (Braehead), R Robertson (Ladybank), C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst).

Leading Team Scores
130 S McLean (Crieff), K MacKenzie (Crieff) (6), D Ritchie (Crieff) (10), E Starritt (Crieff) (13) (bih); A J Webster (Edzell), K Bruce (Edzell) (3), R Brownhill (Edzell) (5), A Smith (Edzell) (7); D Mitchell (Monifieth) (2), S Hills (Monifieth) (8), G Paton (Dalhouse) (8), A Reid (Monifieth) (12).

Next Meeting

Thursday, March 15
Crieff
Tee resered: 8.30am to 1pm
Sponsored by J B Motor Co.

Lee Sutherland

HUTCHEON WINS AT BANFF WITH HELP OF SUPERGLUE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Banchory's Greig Hutcheon scored his second win of the North-east Alliance season at Duff House Royal GC today despite a chronic sore back and a split thumb held together with superglue!

A classic case of "Beware the wounded golfer!" for the Tartan Tour pro was the only player in a field of 82 players to match the par of 68 in bright and breezy conditions at the Banff venue.

After winning the £100 first prize, Hutcheon said: "I split the skin on my thumb and the only way I could play golf was to find some way of sticking the two bits together. I had a great idea - superglue!

"I've still got a sore back but now the specialists are coming round to thinking that it's my feet where the problem starts. Apparently I've got fallen arches."

Hutcheon, who had an eagle 3 and a birdie 2 at the 12th and 13th to cancel out three bogeys won by a single shot from Murcar Links tour pro Terry Mathieson, Hazlehead-based pro Colin Nelson and Royal Aberdeen amateur Scott Larkin.
Laura Murray's ninth place finish with a 73 is worth a mention again. Remember, she plays off the same tees as the men. Speaking of the ladies, Hazlehead's Claire Prouse finished ahead of her dad Laurence with a 79 gross to his 81.
Willie McKenzie, the Berryhill Driving Range pro, kept an 8 off his card after last week's Scottishgolfview.com tip to "think positive" on the first tee. Which he did.
"The highest figure I had on my card was a 5," said a happy Willie.

LEADING SCRATCH
Par 68 (34-34). Yardage: 6007
68 G Hutcheon (Banchory) 36-32.
69 T Mathieson (Murcar Links) 35-34, C Nelson (Mackenzie Shop) 33-36, Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) 36-33.
70 A Campbell (Deeside) 34-36, J Findlay (Fraserburgh) 35-35.
71 D Law (unatt) 37-34
72 D Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 37-35.
73 Laura Murray (Alford) 37-36.
74 R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo), E Kennedy (Newmachar), C Brown (Kemnay), D Brown (Kemnay), K Nicol (Fraserburgh), J Nicolson (Auchmill).
75 J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen), S Finnie (Caledonian).
76 D Leslie (Northern), J Duff (Newmachar), B Nicolson (Auchmill).
77 B Harper (Newburgh), J Murray (Banchory), W McKenzie (Berryhill DR).
78 C Cassie (Nigg Bay), M Merchant (Newmachar).
79 A Gall (Deeside), Claire Prouse (Hazlehead), D Wilson (Duff House Royal).
80 P Cheyne (Northern), G Milne (Newburgh), M Duncan (Murcar Links), L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), A K Pirie (Hazlehead), G Paterson (Northern), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum), D C Clark (Duff House Royal).
81 N K Parker (Murcar Links), L Prouse (Hazlehead), S Mackie (Auchmill) .
82 L Rodger (Royal Aberdeen), M Rendall (Stonehaven), C Carnegie (Kemnay).
83 D Nelson (Aboyne), J Forrest (Murcar Links), R O’Donnell (Oldmeldrum), A Graham (Aboyne), J Scott (Peterculter), J Dalgarno (Hazlehead), J Turner (Kemnay).
84 I D Smith (Hazlehead), W Shaw (Banchory).
85 M Smith (Inverurie), R Brown (Newburgh), H Roulston (Stonehaven), M Lawrie (Kemnay), D McKay (Caledonian), M Booth (Kemnay).
86 D Bisset (Banchory), N Chisholm (Kemnay), P Cornfield (Auchmill).
87 N Stewart (Northern), J Forrest (Northern).
88 H McNaughton (Cruden Bay).
89 C Adam (Aboyne).
90 D Randall (Banchory), G Allan (Newmachar).
91 B Lumsden (Northern), W Skene (Deeside)
92 D Wright (Northern), K Stephen (Northern), M Brown (Newburgh).
94 I Grant (Keith), T Collie (Kemnay).
97 G Homer (Northern).

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1 - A Campbell (Deeside)(1) 69; L Murray (Alford) (3), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4) 70; D Leslie (Northern) (5), P Cheyne (Northern) (9) 71.
Class 2 - J Murray (Banchory) (10) 67; M Smith (Inverurie), N K Parker (Murcar Links) (12) 69; A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10), L Rodger (Royal Aberdeen) (12) 70.

DUFF HOUSE SCORECARD 68
OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-3:34 IN: 4-3-5-3-4-4-3-4-4:34

THE DAY'S BEST FIGURES
GREIG HUTCHEON 68
OUT: 5-4-5-4-4-3-4-4-3:36 IN: 4-3-3-2-5-4-3-4-4:32
TERRY MATHIESON 69
OUT: 3-4-4-4-4-3-5-4-4:35 IN: 4-3-4-3-4-4-3-5-4:34
COLIN NELSON 69
OUT: 3-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-3:33 IN: 5-3-5-3-4-5-3-4-4:36
SCOTT LARKIN 69
OUT: 4-4-4-4-3-3-5-6-3:36 IN: 4-3-4-3-3-4-4-4-4:33
ANDREW CAMPBELL 70
OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-3-5-4-2:34 IN: 3-3-5-3-5-5-3-4-5:36
JORDAN FINDLAY 70
OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-3-5-4-3:35 IN: 5-3-4-3-5-4-4-4-3:35
DAVID LAW 71
OUT: 4-4-4-4-5-2-5-5-4:37 IN: 4-3-5-3-4-4-3-4-4:34
DONALD MACANDREW 72
OUT: 4-4-4-5-5-3-4-4-4:37 IN: 4-3-4-4-4-5-3-4-4:35
LAURA MURRAY 73
OUT: 4-4-4-5-4-3-4-5-4:37 IN: 4-3-4-3-5-5-3-5-4:36
TEE TIMES FOR FIRST ROUND OF NE
 ALLIANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

FRASERBUGH GC, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14

8.15  C Cassie - B Harper - K Watson.
8.22  D Clark - P Cornfield - J Nicolson
8.29  free
8.36  free
8.43  D Macandrew - M Lawrence - F Clarke
8.50  C Nelson - J Dalgarno - L Prouse
8.57  J Scott - G Paterson - J Borthwick

9.04  Claire Prouse - T Mathieson - G Nethercott
9.11  M Rendall - H Roulston - H McNaughton
9.18  J Hamilton - L Rodger - free
9.25  R Brown - M Brown - S Davidson
9.32  free
9.39  M Merchant - R Lamb - J Duff
9.46  free
9.53  M Duncan - J Forrest - N Stewart

10.00  L Vannet - P McIntosh - A Gall
10.07 L Fowler- A K Pirie - D Fleming
10.14   J Hopwood - R O'Donnell- L Graham
10.21  J Duncan - G Milne - M Forster
10.28  P McLean - K Nicol - D Law
10.35  G Hutcheon - S Larkin- F Bisset
10.42  K Beveridge - A Graham - D Nelson
10.49  J Jessiman - A Petrie - W Skene
10.56  B Lumsden - W Shaw - D Leslie

11.03  N K Parker - P Guthrie - M Rogers
11.10  P Cheyne - D Wright - K Stephen
11.17  I Grant- M Smith - M Booth
11.24  D Brow- M Lawrie - C Duffus
11.31  T Collie- J Turner - C Carnegie
11.38  D Randall - J Murray - D Bisset
11.45  W McKenzie - M May - P Leech
11.52  free
11.59  free

12.06  S Finnie - J Gall - D McKay
12.13  free
12.20  B Nicolson - G Allan- free
12.27  D Wilson - E Kennedy - R Fitzpatrick

+Although the North-east Alliance championship is over 36 holes, both the first round competition at Fraserburgh and the second round at Portlethen are stand-alone competitions with their usual weekly prizelists.  The prizelist for the 36-hole aggregates is over and above the two 18-hole ones.