He birdied the first, sixth, 10th, 11and 12th but bogeyed the third, fourth and 15th
Joint runners-up, a shot behind the winner on 66, were Jeff Wright (Forres), Kyle Godsman (Moray) and Michael McAllan, the Elgin professional.
Best half  of the day came from Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness) with 29 back in a round of 77 for joint fifth place.

LEADING SCRATCH
 Par 67
65 R A L Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie)
66 J Wright (Forres), K Godsman (Moray), M McAllan (Elgin)
67 B R Fotheringham (Inverness), G H Hay (Grantown), J S D Campbell (Grantown), W Donnelly (Fortrose and Rosemarkie)
68 D Hector (Elgin), K Barnett (Torvean), D Joel (Inverness)
70 S Dingwall (Grantown), S Mullen (Elgin), A J Duncan (Elgin)
71 K Thomson (Moray), A W Mair (Moray), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), A J England (Moray), G Allan (Nairn Dunbar)
72 D Ramsay (Moray), G Milne (Elgin), L Duncan (Elgin)
73 D Johnston (Moray), J Simpson (Forres), A Macintosh (Torvean)
74 T Madden (Elgin), S Johnston (Elgin), A Waterson (Grantown), F Mackellar (Grantown), J A Grant (Grantown)
75 J K England (Moray), R Harrower (Boat of Garten), A Hutchison (Inverness), L Hutchison (Inverness)
76 S Wilson (Inverness), A Casey (Moray), R McKerron (Forres), C Small (Nairn)
77 B Rennie (Inverness), G Donaldson (Elgin), V Tilman (Muir of Ord), R Mackie (Rothes)
78 S Taylor (Boat of Garten)

LEADING HANDICAP
Class 1 - W Donnelly (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (4) 63; D Hector (Elgin) (3), K Barnett (Torvgean) (3) 65; A Macintosh (Torvgean) (7) 66; G Allan (Nairn Dunbar) (4) A J Enghland (Moray) (4), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar) (4), D Johnston (Moray) (6), G Milne (Elgin) (5), S Mullen (Elgin) (3).
Class 2 - L Hutchison (Inverness) (13) 62; C Small (Nairn) (12), L Duncan (Elgin)  (8) 64; B Creighton (Muir of Ord) (14), T Madden (Elgin) (10), F Mackellar (Grantown) (8), A Casey (Moray) (10) 66.