Laurie Chancellor caps outstanding first year 

as a senior by winning Macallan Trophy

By ROBIN WILSON 

In his first season as a senior golfer, Inverness's Laurie Chancellor pictured, ended his competitive year on another high when playing the North District Senior Championship and winning the Macallan Trophy at his first attempt.

The venue was Muir of Ord golf course, over which, Laurie openly admited, he had not played well in the past.

It showed over his opening five holes when, unsure of clubbing into the small greens with tricky pin positions, the Inverness scratch golfer relied on a deft touch around the greens to save five opening par figures. 

He failed only once to get up and down in two over the first nine holes and that was at the eighth hole while several birdie putt attempts lipped out. His one bogey outward half count was 36 as he turned for home and brought his card back to level par with his first and only birdie, on the par five 15^th hole.

Another birdie putt lipped out on the next green before Chancellor, the recently crowned Inverness Golf Club's senior champion, hit his only wayward drive from the 17^th tee to make bogey. Then, on the final tough finishing hole, he took another 5 to add up to his winning card of three over par 71 (36/35).

After a four under par 64 earlier in the week from last season's runner up, home member Bert Nicholson, the next lowest handicapper in the field, was expected to spearhead the local challenge but his short iron play lost its edge and he finished third with 75. 

Second place was filled by an unexpected local, 10-handicapper, Brian Davidson, who never put a foot wrong and belied his handicap with a gross 73 (37/36)

Also on 75 was the new champion's Inverness clubmate Donald J Mackay. This score was the best gross in his age group, 55 to 64 years. 

Winners of the two next age groups were two former champions, Pat Tomisson (Nairn), with 76 in group 65 to 70 years, and Elgin's Bryce Milne who won the Macallan Trophy on the same course eight years previously. Milne's 77 was best in the group 71 + years.

Results

 (CSS 70) 

Championship and Macallan Trophy

71 L Chancellor (Inverness)

73 B Davidson (Muir of Ord). 

75 B Nicholson (Muir of Ord).

 Age Groups

55 to 64 years  

Scratch -  D J Mackay (Inverness) 75

Handicap – T MacLean (Muir of Ord) (6) 70. R Taylor (Reay) (5) 72. J Hunter (Wick) (6) 73. 

Group 65 to 70 years 

Scratch - P Tomisson (The Nairn) 76. 

Handicap – D Scrimgeour (Muir of Ord) (17) 69. I McGruer (Muir of Ord) (9) 70. I Forbes (Elgin) (14) 71. 

Group 71+ years

Scratch - B C Milne (Elgin) 77. 

Handicap – J S Thomson (Inverness) (8) 71. J Fraser (Royal Dornoch) (17) 71. I Grant (Garmouth (11) 72.