Parade of Inverness club champions. Left to right: Rory Franssen, Dean Boyce, Jonathon Keith, David Syme, Marion Howieson, Linsey Munro

First-timer Jonathon Keith continues 

Inverness club championship trend

By ROBIN WILSON

For a second season in succession Inverness Golf Club has a new first-time club champion - 20-year-old Jonathan Keith from Grantown-on-Spey defeating last season's first-time winner, David Joel, in style in a 36-hole final.

Jonathan joined the city club from Grantown on Spey six years ago when a strong junior section was emerging at Inverness.  It did not take him long for him to make his mark as he won the Junior Open in 2012 and in the same year the club juniors won the three North District junior Order of Merit events.

Keith won the Under 18, Cameron Franssen the Under 16)and Rory Franssen  the Under 14.

 In 2014 Keith rose to become the North District Youth Champion.

Keith beat former champion, John Forbes on his way to the final where, after the first 18 holes. he held a four-hole lead over the defending champion, David Joel.

Keith's advantage increased to six holes after winning the first two holes at the beginning of the second round. But Joel got these losses back with an eagle at the third and a birdie on the next hole.  The quality of the golf continued through the next 12 holes, especially at the par three 13^th where Joel holed a bunker shot to cut Keith's lead to three. But, from the next tee, Joel struck the big tree on the right with his drive and put his second shot out of bounds to go dormie four down and Keith's first time title was secured on the next green with a 4 and 3 result.

 MARION HOWIESON'S SEVENTH LADIES' TITLE

The final of the Inverness Golf Club women's championship featured two previous six-time winners, Kerri Harper and Marion Howieson. Edging ahead with seven wins was Howieson but not before she had to go an extra hole to overcome Harper, a Northern Counties women's team player

The men’s handicap title was won by David Syme, who defeated Graeme Thomson 3 and1 in the final. Lindsey Munro won the women's  handicap title, beating Gill Osmand 3 and 1.

 Scottish international Rory Franssen retained his junior title. He beat Logan Gillies 2 and 1, and 12 year old Dean Boyce lifted the junior handicap title with a 2 and 1 victory over Jamie Penwright.

North Order of Merit update.

Ousted at the semi final stage of the Inverness Club Championship, John Forbes, who is the club secretary at Muir of Ord Golf Club, was able to take his place in last Saturday's James Braid 36 hole open event at Brora where he gathered another 60 points to increase his lead at the top of the North District's Order of Merit table.

The Order of Merit really came into its own at Brora where six of the contenders finished in the top ten aggregate scores that were the best of any counting competitions so far this season.

First to return a new course record card of 65, five under par, was Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) and matching his 65 was the previous course record holder Chris Mailley (Royal Dornoch),whose previous course record was 66. 

Fotheringham grossed 135 with his first round 70 as did Mailley with his opening 70 and they were joined in a three way tie to receive 90 points each with Nairn's reigning District Champion Fraser Fotheringham, 67 and 68.

The points did not stop coming the way of Inverness members. European Boys Team Championship cap Cameron Franssen finish in third place on 138 (70-68) to earn his first 70 points and with a gross 71 and 72, Fortrose and Rosemarkie's Robert MacKay share of seventh place earned his first points of the season. But MacKay's gross 143 reduced to nett 135 to win the Kidd Cup in the low handicap section. 

The next Order of Merit fixture is on Saturday, the Brodie Trophy at Forres Golf Club followed next weekend by the Badenoch Open at Kingussie and Newtonmore.

Order of Merit Points Leaders

235 J Forbes (Muir of Ord).

190 F Fotheringham (The Nairn).

155 D Hexley (Golspie).

145 B Fotheringham (Forres).

135 B Urquhart (Royal Dornoch). 

130 K Thomson (Moray). 

90 A MacDonald (Royal Dornoch), C Mailley (Royal Dornoch). 

80 C Gaittens (Fortrose), C J MacKay (Royal Dornoch), J Scott (Moray).

75 J Keith (Inverness), D Gould (Moray).70 C Franssen (Inverness).