McAlpine wins North District match-play title

Lyle McAlpine (Tain) coped best with the morning rain for the semi-finals at Castle Stuart and the gale-force wind for the afternoon final to win the North District match-play championship for the Robin Thomson Trophy today (Sunday).

McAlpine, pictured, beat Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) 3 and 2 in the semi-finals and Jordan Shaw (Boat of Garten) by 3 and 1 in in the final.

Shaw had won his semi-final by 6 and 5 against Jamie MacKintosh (Nairn).

ROBIN WILSON writes: Lyle is 25. He began his golf in Invergordon, then switched to Tain and was North District Youth champion in 2013. Had a run of runner-up finishes  at beginning of this season, Ross-shire County Cup, Tain club championship, before hitting top form, retaining the Tain 36-holer at the beginning of the Tain Golf Week. He then went on to win the scratch match-play element of the four- day Golf Week. I have heard he has just changed jobs but not sure  where and what he does now.

The Castle Stuart course was busy on Sunday with pros practising for this week’s three-day Highland Links pro am, so the North District champion of champions' final began from the 10th tee and McAlpine dominated this nine holes. 

Three ahead at the start of their second nine from the first tee,  McAlpine won the 16th (the par three eighth hole on the first nine)  to win 3 and 1.

RESULTS

Quarter-finals - B Fotheringham (Forres_ bt J Scott (Moray) 4 and 3; L McAlpine (Tain) bt D Joel (Inverness) 3 and 1; J Shaw (Boat of Garten) bt F Fotheringham (Nairn) 4 and 3; J MacKintosh (Nairn) bt M Wilson (Forres) 5 and 3.

Semi-finals - McAlpine bt B Fotheringham 3 and 2; Shaw bt MacKintosh 6 and 5.

Final - McAlpine bt Shaw 3 and 1.

+Semi-finals and Final were played at Castle Stuart