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Fraser Fotheringham wins at Tain for second time

By ROBIN WILSON

 Nairn's Fraser Fotheringham, also a member of Tain Golf Club, won the Abdul Ghani Trophy for a second time at Tain  in the Balblair-sponsored 36 Hole Open, an event which features on the North District's order merit tour.

Fotheringham's ten merit points and bumper £500 voucher first prize voucher came after matching the par of 70 in round one when chasing chasing down the first round leader, club champion Alan Everett.

Everett was in top form with a three under par opening 67 his card featuring four birdies, the 2^nd, 9^th,13 and seventeenth holes and just one early bogey at the 3^rd hole.  But as the wind strengthened during round two Everett fell away to only a third handicap place with a second round 78.

In Fotheringham's seventy he went out in 32, three under par, and held his score together with an inward 38.  Finishing in second place was Tain's Lyle McAlpine,with a second round 70 from two equal halves of 35, following his a first round 73 (35/38). Then Munro Ferries (72/73) for third  place and the recent Black Isle Open winner Alan Cameron (F&R) who received the fourth place voucher with 74 and 72 for 146.

Local Frank Mackle was in the scratch mix after his level par first round 70 before adding a second round 75 before his two handicap nett aggregate of 141 resulted in a two shot reward of the Rutherford Trophy. Mackle was two ahead of club mate Glen McAlpine who plays off five. Everett's scratch and nett aggregate of 145 total left him with the consolation of third handicap voucher.

North District Champion Bryan Fotheringham has lost some of his early season sparkle and scored two 75's but with six more merit points still leads the table with 41 points. Saturday's scratch winner has moved up to joint second place with alongside his Nairn club mate Bruce Thomson, both with 25 points. One 36 hole event remains, the Inverness Open this weekend before the final points are distributed after the North of Scotland 72 hole championship on August 22/23 at Moray and then the final points allocated from the latter stages of the District match-play championship.

On the second day of the MacDonald Haulage Contractors Tain Golf Week the Ventures 18 hole open was played and the scratch Beveridge Cup was won by Golf Week visitor Julian Ralston (Laceby Manor) with a gross 72 and the handicap Gardiner Trophy went to local Kieran Dodds with a nett 72, off 22.

This event also incorporated a senior section and the best scratch and net scores were returned by locals – the Morrich Trophy (Handicap) won by Andrew Watt a nett 71, off 7 and the scratch winner of the Morangie Trophy, Graeme Oliver with gross 79.

Stroke play qualifying for the men's Glasstorm 4-Day Tournament, which also gives the winner a £500 voucher, and the Jail Dornoch Ladies 2-day event began on Monday.