Don is top of the North
Alliance class once again

By ROBIN WILSON
Thurso's Don Mackay, winner of last season's North Golf Alliance scratch quaich, and the runner-up, Tain's Munro Ferries, finished in the same order at the opening North Golf Alliance fixture at Durness on Sunday.
In the field of 48, who by the afternoon enjoyed T-shirt golf over the rugged Balnakeil Links of North Sutherland, Mackay's three-over-par 73 won by two from Ferries with Tain's Mike Sangster and Ron Barker (Wick) also sharing 75s.
Barker's 75 converted to a net 68 to win the Class 1 handicap section, leaving Tain's Mike Sangster in third place on net 71 from this handicap of four. With a net 70 off 7, earning second place was Grant Maxwell (Reay)
But the long journey from Tain made by Ali Melville was rewarded with a first place in Class 2. Melville's 69, off 12, was the only net score below par and it prevented a home win by one shot over local Alister Corbett.
RESULTS
LEADING SCRATCH
D A Mackay (Thurso) 73.
M Ferries (Tain), R Barker (Wick) 75.
M Sangster (Tain) 75.
R W Taylor (Wick) 76.
G Maxwell (Reay), W R Taylor (Wick) 77.
J O'Brien (Reay) 78.
A J Gill (Brora) 80.
LEADING HANDICAP
Class 1
R Barker (Wick) (7) 68.
G Maxwell (Reay) (7) 70.
M Sangster (Tain) (4) 71.
J O'Brien (Reay) (6) 72.
Class 2
A Melville (Tain) (12) 69.
A Corbett (Durness) (15) 70.
J Morrison (Durness) (18) 73.