Duff, Borthwick, Shand and Collie win NE 

Alliance team title by nine strokes

         Left to right: John Duff, John Borthwick, Dave Mackay, Steve Shand and Tommy Collie.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Newmachar tour pro John Duff and amateur partners John Borthwick (Craibstone) and Kemnay's Steve Shand and Tommy Collie won the inaugural North-east Alliance four-ball team tournament at Craibstone Golf Club today (Thu)
With the two best individual net scores per team to count at each hole, Duff's quartet won out of the park with a brilliant score of 20-under-par 118, which included a net eagle 2 by Shand at the 14th where he holed from about 150yd range. 
Duff himself had five gross birdies.
"It was a great team effort," said John. "Everybody played his part in getting this great score which had halves of 61 out and 57 home.
Duff won £100 cash as the team's pro. The amateurs each won £100 vouchers.
They won by NINE strokes from the team of Newmachar's new tour pro, Greg McBain, and amateurs Stewart Finnie (Royal Aberdeen), John Hosie (Kemnay) and Ritchie Davidson (Caledonian) who totalled 11-under-par 127. They each won £75, either in cash of amateur vouchers.
Third, also with 127, were pro Sean Lawrie (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), Cruden Bay's Steve Roger and Martin Forster and David Booth (Tarland). They each won £90 in cash or amateur vouchers.
The "Evening Express" Shield and the "Press and Journal" Shield, which were the scratch and handicap awards in the previous NE Alliance end-of-season foursomes, were both won by John Duff's team and they are pictured with the winning team at the top of this article.
SCOREBOARD
Par 138 (2x69). Pro named first in each team
118 J Duff (Newmachar), J Borthwick (Craibstone), S Shand (Kemnay), T Collie (Kemnay) (£100 each.
127 G McBain (Newmachar), S Finnie Royal Aberdeen), R Davidson (Caledonian), J Hosie (Kemnay) (£75 each); Sean Lawrie (Paul Lawrie GC), S Roger (Cruden Bay), M Forster (Cruden Bay), D Booth (Tarland) (£50 each).
128 K Nicol (Paul Lawrie GC), A Smith (Turriff), A Gall (Deeside), R Ruddiman (Royal Aberdeen).
129 D Brown (Kemnay), A Campbell (Murcar Links), D Nelson (Aboyne), M Winton (Caledonian);  J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen), K McGillivary (Craibstone), D Craigie (Portlethen), N Stewart (Northern); T Mathieson (Murcar Links), B Nicolson (Hazlehead), M Duncan (Murcar Links), M Rogers (Kemnay).
131 K Duncan (Paul Lawrie GC), S Mackie (Hazlehead), R Reid (Tarland), R Brown (Kemnay). 

    Andrew Campbell (Murcar Links),left, receives the leading amateur award at the 2016 North-east Alliance champion from retiring joint sec Dave Mackay (right).

Alfie Smith (Turriff) with the Veterans' Pot which he won at the 2016 North-east Alliance championship.

Scott Mackie (Hazlehead) with the Chappers Pot which goes to the winner of the Handicap Class 1 section of the North-east Alliance championship.

 Mike Winton (Caledonian), left, receives the Major's Pott as the Class 2 Handicap winner at the 2016 North-east Alliance Championship, from retiring jt sec Dave Mackay.