NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE AT NEWBURGH-on-YTHAN

CHRIS LAW AND KEITH SHANKS SHARE 

HONOURS OVER 17 HOLES WITH 65s


REPORT BY COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com  
Challenge Tour player David Law's older brother Chris and David's own tour caddie, Keith Shanks, were joint winners of the top scratch prizes in today's North-east Golfers' Alliance fixture played over 17 holes at Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club, Aberdeenshire after being transferred from the scheduled venue of storm-hit Ballater GC.

Chris and Keith, playing together late in the field of 67 - 20 or so members withdrew because they expected bad weather; it was in fact a gloriously sunny day - sparked off each other to produce outstanding performances of matching, two-under-par 65s.

With the River Ythan in spate and a high tide due, the riverside 15th and 16th holes were not played. The par-5 18th was played as two holes - a par 3 and a par 4, giving a par of 67 (36-31).

Chris Law, who works at the Kings Links Golf Centre, is in the process of reinstatement to amateur status but alongwith Shanks is entitled to accept the £90 prize voucher for sharing first place at the head of a field of 67 players.

Law was out in two-over-par 38 but covered his last eight holes in only 27 shots, sparked off by an eagle 2 at the 10th where he pitched in from 20yd, following by birdies at the 11th and 14th.

Shanks, a member at Elie Golf Club, Fife, birdied the first, third, sixth and 12th and he had an eagle 2 at the 13th in halves of 35-30.

They finished two shots clear of joint third placed Brian Robson (Newmachar), Fergus Bisset (Banchory) and Royal Aberdeen staff pro Joel Hopwood on the par 67 mark.

There were 14 No Returns, like last week a surprisingly high number

Due to the Scottish Alliance championship at Dalmahoy next midweek, the next NE Alliance fixture will be at Kintore on Wednesday, October 22.

SCRATCH SCORES (over 17 holes)

Holes 15 and 16 were not played because of high tide at
mouth of River Ythan. Par-5 18th played as two holes - a par 3 and a par 4
Par  67 (36-31)
65 C Law (Kings Links) 38-27, K Shanks (Elie) 35-30
67 B Robson (Newmachar) 38-29, F Bisset (Banchory) 33-34, J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen) 37-30
68 J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen) 36-32
70 L Vannet (Craibstone) 39-31, J Nicolson (Hazelehad) 38-32, D Buchan (Peterhead) 36-34, S Finnie (Caledonian)  37-33
71 D McDougall (Nigg Bay) 38-33, A Campbell (Murcar Links) 39-32
72 A Gall (Deeside) 39-33, D Fleming (Portlethen) 40-32, J Duff (Newmachar) 40-32, C Grant (Portlethen) 39-33, N Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 37-35, Keil Beveridge (Kippie Lodge) 39-33. 
73 J Sunley (Northern) 36-37,  M Duncan (Murcar Links) 38-35, B Fyfe (Paul Lawrie GC) 39-34, R Stewart (Newburgh) 42-31, S MacNeil (Aboyne) 41-32 , B Nicolson (Hazlehead) 40-33, Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) 39-34, J Borthwick (Craibstone) 39-34.
75 G Craig (Aboyne), L Clark (Kemnay), A Graham (Aboyne)
76 Steve Lawrie (Portlethen ), C Cassie (Nigg Bay)
77 S Allison (Caledonian), H McNaughton (Cruden Bay).
78 G Allan (Newmachar), D McKay (Caledonian).
79 W Shaw (Banchory), D Nelson (Aboyne), D Bisset (Banchory), P Walker (Cruden Bay).
80 G Homer (Northern), A Benton (Kemnay), J Murray (Banchory), R Davidson (Caledonian)
81 M Winton (Caledonian), M Booth (Kemnay)
82 J Scott (Peterculter), J Forrest (Northern)
83 B Lumsden (Northern)
84 D Lane (Deeside), R Brown (Newburgh).
87 M Rendall (Stonehaven)
90 D Randall (Banchory).
94 S Dillon (Kemnay).

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1 - M Duncan (8) 65; D Fleming (6), J Emslie (2) 66'; J Nicolson (3), D McDougall (4) 67.
Class 2 - A Benton (14) 62; J Sunley (10) 63; H McNaughton  (13) 64; G Allan (13) 65; P Walker (12) 67.