MONDAY MORNING DISCOVERY THROUGH HOW DID I DO WEBSITE,,,,

 STEVEN McINTOSH DISQUALIFIES 

HIMSELF FROM WINNING ROSS CUP

REPORT FROM ROBIN WILSON

A second North county championship cup winged its way to the greenkeepers' sheds of the Torvean Golf Club last Saturday but before Head Greenkeeper Steven McIntosh got time to celebrate his 8^th capture of the title he had to disqualify himself.

The previous weekend at Royal Dornoch his assistant greenkeeper , Darren Hexley, had won for the first time the Sutherland County Cup but for McIntosh, a firm favourite at the Muir of Ord Golf Club where he emerged as a leading junior player in the mid-1980s, his record capture of his native Ross-shire cup turned to despair when on Monday morning he had to telephone his club secretary about a mistake on his first round score card.

The 46 year old first last won the Ross-shire title at Muir of Ord in 2008 and previously in 1989,1996,1997, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
In addition he had claimed the North District Association championship three times in the 1990s.and it was to the recently crowned North District Champion, Tain's Dougie Thorburn (Tain) that he had to give up the Ross-shire title last Monday after discovering his error.

After checking Muir of Ord's “How Did I Do Website” on Monday morning he realised his first round card figures were wrong at two holes. His playing partner and card marker had entered 3 5 3 4 which added to 15 for the first four inward holes but his figures were actually  3 4 5 3 (also adding to 15), but retaining a correct  first round gross score of 72.
But with  a lower score than actually taken marked down for the 12^th hole he imposed the resulting disqualification penalty on himself and the cup and silver medal will have to pass to Thorburn.

To play in the competition was a late decision by McIntosh and having played very little competitive golf this year he did not rate highly his chances of regaining the title and arrived at Muir of Ord armed with only a half set of clubs.  
After posting his first round 72 he put his mind to the task and still with only seven clubs  fashioned  his way round his boyhood course to a remarkable one under par card of 67 in the second round after covering the home stretch in 31 to catch and overtake the cup holder, Tain's Munro Ferries.

Ferries had a first round share of the lead with his club mate and new North District champion, Dougie Thorburn, from Thurso, but in the afternoon rain Ferries slipped back to 73 while Thorburn, who led through 27 holes from a second round outward half of two under par 33, bogeyed five inward holes for 38 and 71 to post a gross 140 but now adds the Ross-shire title to the Caithness title which he won when a member of Thurso Golf Club. 
Ferries was elevated to runner up and recipient of the bronze medal after cards of 69 and 73..

Also receiving a late entry, McIntosh's playing partner, local Sandy Rose brought in the leading nett aggregate total. 
Eight handicapper Rose improved on his first round nett card of 72 with a second round gross 74 for nett 66 and win the handicap voucher by virtue of the better second round score from his clubmate Martin Gray (12) 138 (69 69).

Ross-shire Championship
 Results
Scratch 
140 D Thorburn (Tain) 69 71. 
142 M Ferries (Tain) 69 73. 
147 A Gilmour (Invergordon) 73 74, S Forbes (Muir of Ord) 73 74, F Mackle (Tain) 70 77. 
148 S Johnstone (Muir of Ord) 72 76, R Moir (Muir of Ord) 76 72, A Everett (Tain) 72 76. Handicap
138 S Rose (Muir of Ord) (8), M Gray (Muir of Ord) (12)
139 K MacAskill (Muir of Ord) (17)