John Duff takes over lead in Alliance Scratch 

Merit Table

By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Newmachar-attached professional John Duff, winner of the North-east Alliance championship last year, has taken over the the No 1 spot from Kevin Duncan (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) at the head of the Scratch Order of Merit table, sponsored by the Brimmond Restaurant, which is open to members of the public in the Craibstone GC clubhouse.

With only a handful of events left to the Championship rounds at Portlethen and Craibstone, Duff, pictured, has edged ahead with 6284pt. Duncan is in second place with 6,138pt.
Greg McBain, another Paul Lawrie GC player and winner of Wednesday's Alliance competition at Peterhead is the new No 3 in table with 4,461pt.
There is no change in the top four of the Class 1 Handicap Table. David Leslie (Bon Accord) has a lead of only 38pts over Gavin Chalmers (Alford) with Scott Mackie (Kemnay) in third place, 79pt behind Chalmers.
David Lane (Deeside) is in fourth place with 1878pts
Significant climbers in Class 1 after good performances at Peterhead are Brian Ritchie (Inverallochy), up six places to No. 5, Alan Gall (Deeside) up six places to No 7, and Manson Merchant, the golfing minister and Newmachar member, up eight plaes to No 11.
In Class 2 there is no change n the leading three - Stephen Ross (Hazlehead) just over 100pt ahead of second-placed Raymond Brown (Kemnay) with Jim Stewart (Banchory) lying third, 190pt behind Brown.
The Brimmond Bistro is sponsoring 1-2-3 prizes in each of the three sections. Pros will receive cash, amateurs prize vouchers. 
 The Order of Merit tables end with the second round of the championship.

WHAT'S LEFT OF THE NE ALLIANCE SEASON
Feb 3 Buckpool
Feb 10 Newburgh
Feb 17 Spey Bay
Feb 24 Montrose Links
Mar 2 Duff House Royal
Mar 9 Portlethen (Championship Round 1)
Mar 16 Craibstone (Championship Round 2)
Mar 17-18 Alliance pro-am and am-am match-play foursomes (Craibstone)
Mar 23 McDonald Ellon.

NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE
SCRATCH ORDER OF MERIT
Sponsored by the Brimmond Bistro
(Craibstone GC clubhouse restaurant
  which is open to members of the public)
                                                        POINTS       LAST WEEKS
                                                                             POSITION

1  John Duff (Newmachar)                 6284        2
2  Kevin Duncan (Paul Lawrie GC)    6138        1
3  Greg McBain (PLGC)                     4461        4
4  Phil McLean (PLGC)                      4429        3
5  Sean Lawrie (PLGC)                      3425        6
6  Craig Lawrie (PLGC)                     3330        5
7  Sam Kiloh (PLGC)                          2954        7
8  Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links)    2894        10
9  Kris Nicol (PLGC)                          2715        14
10 Joel Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen)    2685        8
11 Laura Murray (PLGC)                     2585        9
12 Alan Stuart (PLGC)                        2360        11
13 Greig Hutcheon (PLGC)                 2334        12
14 David Brown (Kemnay)                  2301        13
15 Paul Lawrie (Carnegie Club)          2278        15
16 Chris Lamb (Newmachar)              2138        16
17 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon)    2043        17
18 David Leslie (Bon Accord)             2013        18
19 Stewart Finnie (Royal Aberdeen)    1970        19
20 Brian Ritchie (Inverallochy)           1864        23
21 Gary Esson (Portlethen)                  1594        20
22 Billy Fyfe (PLGC)                           1592        21
23 Brian Nicolson (Mackenzie Club)    1572        22
24 Keil Beveridge (Kippe Lodge)        1539         30
25 Alan Gall (Deeside)                         1531        29
26 Graeme Riley (Craibstone)              1480        26
27 John Borthwick (Craibstone)           1416        25
28 Fergus Bisset (Banchory)                 1399        24
29 Scott Mackie (Kemnay)                   1398        NEW
30 Kamran Zeynalov (Portlethen)        1388        NEW


HANDICAP CLASS 1                                  
sponsored by The Brimmond Bistro
                                                 POINTS      LAST WEEK'S
                                                                   POSITION
1  David Leslie (Bon Accord)   2260        1
2  Gavin Chalmers (Alford)      2222        2
3  Scott Mackie (Kemnay)        2143        3
4  David Lane (Deeside)            1878        4
5  Brian Ritchie (Inverallochy)  1627        11
6  Harry Roulston (Stonehaven) 1538        5
7  Alan Gall (Deeside)                1526        13
8  John Borthwick (Craibstone)   1481        7
9  Fergus Bisset (Banchory)        1469        6
10 Richard Blackmore (Tarland) 1444        12
11 Manson Merchant (Newmachar) 1404    19
12 Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen)  1369        8
13 Gary Esson (Portlethen)        1319        9
14 Donny Adam (Kemnay)            1308        10
15 Graeme Riley (Craibstone)        1255        16
16 Charlie Cassie (Nigg Bay)        1236        14
17 Mike Duncan (Murcar Links)        1179        18
18 Scott Melvin (Newmachar)        1179        15
19 Steve Shand (Kemnay)            1156        17
20 Keith McGillivary (Craibstone)    1124        NEW

HANDICAP CLASS 2       
Sponsored by the Brimmond Bistro

                                                POINTS     LAST WEEK'S
                                                                  POSITION

1  Stephen Ross (Hazlehead)         3354        1
2  Raymond Brown (Kemnay)        2244        2
3  Jim Stewart (Banchory)        2054        3
4  Mike Brown (Kemnay)            1601        5
5  Gary Homer (Northern)        1586        6
6  Nigel Parker (Murcar Links)        1583        4
7  Donald Lawrie (Aboyne)        1535        7
8  Stuart Davidson (Northern)        1519        8
9  Peter Walker (Cruden Bay)        1392        9
10 David Bisset (Banchory)        1337        11
11 Jim Murray (Banchory)        1325        10
12 Peter Cheyne (Northern)        1152        12
13 William Beattie (Craibstone)        1140        14
14 Michael Rendall (Stonehaven)        1110        15
15 David McKay (Caledonian)        1102        13
16 Lenny Duncan (Craibstone)        1055        16
17 Robbie Duncan (Deeside)        1053        17
18 Doug Booth (Tarland)            980        NEW
19 Graham Allan (Newmachar)        887        18
20 Mike Rogers (Kemnay)            880        19