Tain win Dornoch Firth League at Invergordon

FROM ROBIN WILSON

Tain Golf Club won the 43^rd staging of the Dornoch Firth League competition at Invergordon on the completion of the seven -a-side inter-club matches between Brora, Golspie, Royal Dornoch, Tain and Invergordon.

At the request of Golspie Golf Club, whose greens have still not fully recovered from a winter blight, Invergordon agreed to stage the encounters, giving a definite advantage for the hosts to clinch their fifth league title.

But, after one of the closest series of matches in many years the other Ross-shire club in the group, Tain, emerged with the League Targe for the eighth time following a gap of 12 years.

Saturday's opening two matches, involving Invergordon and Brora, set the scene for a thrilling weekend after 4-3 wins for each club over Royal Dornoch and Golspie respectively, the hosts inspired by a winning 4 and 3 result from Steven Buchan against the Royal Dornoch and Sutherland county champion,Chris Mailley.

In the afternoon Buchan was again instrumental in securing a 4-3 for his club after sharing a point with his old club mate Lyle McAlpine. This was one of the best games of the weekend. Between them they exchanged 10 birdies, two from Buchan in the closing three holes to escape with a half point after also winning the final hole. 

With the tie between Brora and Royal Dornoch shared at 3½pts each, Invergordon carried into Sunday a narrow lead with 8pts, to Brora's 7½ , Dornoch 6½, Golspie 3 and Tain 3 pts.

Sunday Morning's ties involved Golspie v Invergordon , result 3-4 and Tain v Brora, result 3½ each which meant Invergordon still held the lead with 12 points, Brora 11, Tain 6 ½  Dornoch 6½ with Golspie 6 these three clubs each having played a game less.

In the final ties on Sunday afternoon Invergordon had their encounter with Brora as Golspie, Tain and Royal Dornoch featured in the three- way game where 14 points where to available to keep all five clubs in the mix for winning winning the league.

Leigh Simpson became the weekend's top points earner with three and a half points for his Invergordon club after a 7 and 6 win over the Brora Secretary, Tony Gill, enabled Invergordon to climb to 15 pts alongside the holders who won the tie 4-3 with wins for the Brora quartet of James MacBeath, Roddie Cameron, Marc Lowell and Alister Fraser

All attention now turned to the triple encounter. David Pearson (Dornoch) and Ross I MacKenzie (Tain) each took their individual win totals to three as they crushed their Tain and Golspie opposites in the three-ball and Dornoch beat Golspie 6-1 and Tain 5-2  for Tain to overtake Brora and Invergordon and lift the Dornoch Firth Targe with 17½pts. 

Invergordon and Brora totalled 15pts Royal Dornoch 14½ and Golspie at the foot with 8pts.

Next year's league matches will be played at Royal Dornoch and the subsequent rota will be -  2017 Golspie, 2018 Tain, and 2019 Brora.

Match Results

Invergordon 4, Royal Dornoch 3

Golspie 3, Brora 4

Tain 3.5, Brora 3.5

Brora 3.5, Royal Dornoch 3.5

Invergordon 4, Tain 3

Golspie 3, Invergordon 4

Brora 4, Invergordon 3

Tain 6, Golspie 1

Royal Dornoch 6, Golspie 1

Royal Dornoch 2, Tain 5. 

Final table of points  

Point for each individual tie won – 

Tain 17.5, Brora 15, Invergordon 15, Dornoch 14.5 and Golspie 8.