Murdoch pips Manson for Braemar Open title 

with better second round after tie

Portlethen member Robbie Murdoch pipped Kemnay and Braemar member Ritchie Manson to win the Braemar Golf Club 36-hole Open title, sponsored by Aberdeen Trophy Centre,  at the weekend.

 Ritchie's first-round 61 was the best of the morning rounds by three shots in the worst of the day's conditions starting his round in the heavy rain. 

This didn't see to phase him in a round including seven birdies including four 2's (Holes 3, 6, 13 and 18). A solid afternoon round of level par 65 looked to have secured the title for Ritchie until Robbie Murdoch improved his morning score of 65 by four shots to tie with Ritchie on 126.

Murdoch won the title by virtue of having the better second round winning the Braemar Open for the first time and securing the voucher for £250. 

Robbie's second round included six birdies, including impressive 3s at the fourth and 10th.

SCRATCH SCOREBOARD

126 Robbie Murdoch (Portlethen) 65 61

126 Ritchie Manson (Kemnay) 61 65

131 Craig Stephen (Aboyne) 65 66

132 Graeme Mitchell jun (Bon Accord) 67 65

132 Lee O' Conner (Nigg Bay) 66 66

133 Lewis Morgan (Kemnay) 67 66

137 Ian Esslemont (Cruden Bay) 69 68

138 Jordan Calder (Newmachar) 74 64

138 Ian Welsh (Nigg Bay) 72 66

138 Connor Neil (Blairgowrie) 68 70

138 Nicholas Black (Deeside) 65 73

Handicap

124 Robbie Murdoch (Portlethen) (1) 64 60

124 Ritchie Manson (Kemnay) (1) 60 64

126 Mark McCusker (Portlethen) (8) 61 65

128 Lee O'Conner (Nigg Bay) (2) 64 64

128 Nicholas Black (Deeside) (5) 60 68

131 Jonathan Black (Dunecht House) (4) 67 64

131 Lewis Morgan (Kemnay) (1) 66 65

131 Ian Esslemont (Cruden Bay) (3) 66 65

131 William Short (Peterculter) (6) 66 65

131 Craig Stephen (Aboyne) (scr) 65 66

Stuart Rae wins Braemar Open higher 

handicaps' scratch event by three strokes

Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Inchmarlo member Stuart Rae won the 10-28 handicap 36-hole Braemar Open, sponsored by Aberdeen Trophy Centre, by three shots in testing conditions.

The 11-handicapper collected the first  prize voucher of £150 with a two-round  gross total of 156, helped on the 14th hole of his first round by holing his approach shot for an eagle 2.

Scratch Totals

156 Stuart Rae (Inchmarlo) 78 78

159 David Lamont (Kirriemuir) 78 81

160 John Clifford (Newmachar) 78 82

Handicap

132 Paul Anderson (Peterculter) (16) 69 63

134 Stuart Rae (Inchmarlo) (11) 67 67

135 William Craig (Kirriemuir) (14) 68 67

Braemar Golf Club would once again like to thank Aberdeen Trophy Centre for their continued sponsorship which allowed us to keep the prize money levels high despite a lower number of entries.

The Braemar senior men's four-ball open has been re-scheduled for  August 2, having been postponed due to the thunder and lightning  in June.