Kevin Matheson ends lean spell at Royal Dornoch

 

By ROBIN WILSON

Local member Kevin Matheson (46), who has had a lean 12 months since winning the confined Fraser Shield tournament 12 months ago, enjoyed a triple success in Royal Dornoch's final 36 hole open tournament on Saturday.

Both courses at Dornoch are now used in this event, the Struie in the morning followed by the Championship in round two. Matheson ended a seven-year wait to get his hands back on the Gardiner Trophy with an aggregate of 137 (73-64) to cap his day with with what is being considered a new championship course record after the last winter's changes to the 11^th and 12th holes.

Alan Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) led after his first round on Struie with a four under par 67 (34-33) and while no firm score records are kept about the relief course no person can recall a lower score since it was extended and new holes added several years ago.

Cameron fell back to fourth place after a second round 76 (36-40), a triple bogey 7 on the notorious 14^th (Foxy) his undoing.

Matheson carried a 73 (37-36)  with him to the championship course where everything went right for him, especially at the second hole where he saved par after missing the green on the difficult left side then carded three birdies and no bogeys to the ninth for 32.

A repeat three birdies coming home for another 32 and 64 saw Matheson win by two shots from UHI Dornoch-based student Michael Schinkel.

Schinkel (20) from Kirkwall, beginning his third university year at Dornoch, had a glorious 13-birdie day, seven on the Struie in his opening 69, and six more on the championship to match par 70 (35-35).   His nett 137, off 1, matched the nett aggregate of the scratch winner but lost out on the Fraser Shield to Matheson's better second round.

FRASER/GARDNER TOURNAMENT 2017

RESULTS

SCRATCH  
137 Kevin Matheson  (Royal Dornoch)  73 64          
139  Michael Schinkel  (Royal Dornoch)  69 70 
143  Jordan Black   (Kilmacolm)  70 73 (better second round), Allan Cameron  (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 67 76
149  Scott Dickson   (Windyhill)   73 76
150   Bryan Urquhart  (Royal Dornoch)  71 79 
HANDICAP 
138 Oliver Hughes (Duddingston)  (8)  
139 Craig Sutherland (Royal Dornoch)  (3)     
142 Neil Munro (Royal Dornoch) (4)  (better second round), Ryan Duthie (Broomieknowe) (6)  
143 Colin Murray  (Royal Dornoch) (5) 
144 Ivan Collingwood  (Royal Dornoch)  (6)


FRASER SHIELD 
137 Kevin Matheson (Royal Dornoch) (scr)  (better second round)

Championship Course
Best Round Scratch  David Pearson Royal Dornoch  73
Best Round Handicap  Steven Walker  Duddingston   80 (7) 73 bih    Struie Course
Best Round Scratch  Andrew Paterson Dundas Parks   69

Best Round Handicap  Ross Fergus  Swanston New  70 (2) 68 bih


CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE CSS Member 74 Visitor 74
 STRUIE COURSE   CSS Member 71 Visitor 71