Inverness's John Forbes can't be caught  at top of North District Merit Table

By ROBIN WILSON

The double Order of Merit points awarded to the North District players who took part in the recent North 72 Hole Open stroke play championship, the final merit counting stroke play competition of the season have now been allocated, leaving Inverness Golf Club member John Forbes with an unassailable lead.

Jeff Wright (Forres) earned 200 points as winner of the Blair Trophy at Inverness and Forbes added another 130 points to take his total to 605, forty points ahead of Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) who got ninety points from the Inverness event. Fotheringham's total now 565.

Other significant point earners from Inverness event were: Jordan Shaw (Boat of Garten)180, Kyle Godsman (Moray) 160 Alan Cameron (F and R) 130, and Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) 90.

Forbes and Fotheringham are still involved in the semi final stages of the North District match-play championship, still to be played, at either Castle Stuart or Skibo Castle, but who ever wins the match-play points no player can better Forbes's total.

What may change is third and fourth place involving the two other semi-finalists, David Joel (Inverness) and last year's winner Fraser Fotheringham (The Nairn). The points they will be given from their match-play results will lift them both above current third place occupier Alan Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) whose final total is 295. The outstanding semi-finals are Forbes v Joel and the two Fotheringhams against each other.

The current merit leaders are

605 J Forbes (Inverness). 
565 B Fotheringham (Forres), R A L Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie). 
290 D Joel (Inverness). 
270 K Mackay (Inverness). 
260 J Shaw (Boat of Garten). 
220 J Keith (Inverness). 205 K Godsman (Moray). 
200 C Gaittens (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), D Hexley (Golspie), J Wright (Forres).