Fraser shows good form at Tain four-day open
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A member of both Nairn and Tain Golf Clubs, Fotheringham is best known for being the first North under-18 golfer to reach the final of the British Boys’ Golf Championship. The year was 2007 at Royal Porthcawl and Fotheringham narrowly lost by one hole on the last green of the 36-hole final.
Fotheringham (22) won the Abdul Ghani Cup in 2009 in his first year as a member at Tain, and last year in the four-day event he was the leading scratch qualifier.
He took the number one seeding once again into last week’s matchplay draw, with qualifying scores of 75 and 73 edging out the local club champion Munro Ferries on the better second round, but they were destined to meet in the final.
On their routes to the final Fotheringham received a first round walkover then got a fright from visiting junior Connor Toal (Old Ranfurly) who took him to the final green.
But he had no such problem in his semifinal, producing a devastating display to beat local Robert J MacDonald after just 10 holes, which lined up a first v second seeded final with Ferries.
Ferries went through to the final by way of local Ian Cowper, then Invergordon’s John Fraser and in the semifinal a 3&2 win over clubmate Ross Jack.
Ferries took some form with him into the final and was level par after nine holes but still found himself five down to Fotheringham’s relentless putter which holed putt after putt, with birdies recorded on the first, second, fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth holes and just one bogey.
Ferries got some birdies of his own and had three of them in succession on the 11th, 12th and 13th holes to recover to just two behind.
Fotheringham produced another single putt on the 14th green to steady his ship with a halved hole, then with another birdie on the 15th hole went dormie three up. The end came for Ferries when the next hole was halved and Fotheringham collected his first Whyte and Mackay Tain Golf Week win by 3&2.
Club member Chris Ilett beat former scratch winner Jimmy Russell (Murcar Links) in the low handicap final of the Munro Rosebowl while the Stirling Cup went to the USA thanks to Kevin McGillivray’s 4&3 win over Irishman Dave Hughes.
The high handicap final for the Brooks Cup was won by local Robert Farquhar who beat D Newbriggin (Loch Ness) in the final on the last green.
Sammy Vass, who was nearing the end of her US college vacation, got through to her second successive women’s final. Having lost to her aunt Mary Smith in last year’s final, last week she was up against her other aunt, Anne Ryan, for the Flower Shop/London House Trophy.
The young niece lost again but gained a small measure of revenge in last Saturday’s Women’s Open competition when she won the scratch award with a gross 75 after coming home in 33 to Aunt Ryan’s gross 79.
Four-Day Open results: McVitie and Price – F Fotheringham beat M Ferries 3&2; Stirling Cup – K MacGillivray beat D Hughes 2&1; Munro Rose Bowl – C Ilett beat J Russell 2&1; Brookes Cup – R Farquhar beat D Newbigging 1 hole; Flower Shop/London House Trophy – A Ryan beat S Vass 2&1; Mary Hayden Trophy – P Lockie beat S Hughes 3&1; Hugh Ross – F Mackle and A Pater; Ross Gilmour Shield – G Owens; J A Ross Cup – R MacDonald; John Fraser Salver – G Owens
Consolation Cup – N Surgenor.
Bonar Bridge Golf Club
THERE were great scores at Bonar Bridge on Thursday, August 9, when a full field played in the three-lady team event. The first three of the day set a good target of 58 (10 under par) but the second team of Caroline Munro, Yvonne Lowe and Anne MacDonald came storming in with a 51.
The course was in very good shape, the weather still and warm and no midges.
Results — 1 Caroline Munro, Yvonne Lowe and Anne MacDonald 51; 2 Isabella Wright, Catriona Wood and Margaret Seatter 56; 3 Jane Borley. Irene Hosie and Carol Ross 57; 4 Pam Moscati, Maureen MacKay and Jeani Hunter 58 (BIH).
Muir of Ord Golf Club results
LADIES August Monthly Medal (CSS 71) – Silver – P Morrison (13) 69; E Hutton (19) 72. Bronze – Y Martin (29) 73; C Graham (21) 74. Midweek Stableford (CSS 68) – L Dallas (10) 44 pts; J Matheson (6) 39 pts; G Mellis (3) 37 pts; H Ross (14) 37 pts; T Cameron (13) 37 pts; S Cameron (5) 36 pts. James Brewster Shield (CSS 68) – A Dobie (19) 43 pts. Glen Ord Open (CSS 68) – Scratch – S McIntosh 66; D. MacIver 69; R Mackay 72; G Mellis 73 – Handicap 0-13 – S Duff (4) 65; A Begg (4) 66; G Forbes (10) 67; D Marshall (12) 67 – Handicap 14-28 – J Ross (19) 64; G Knapp (14) 64; S Morrison (14) 65; D Hollinger (17) 65.
Fortrose and
Rosemarkie Golf Club
LADIES Senior Stableford Open (50+) – Tuesday, August 21 -– Players go out in groups of two at nine-minute intervals. If there are any withdrawals or late entries, please telephone the golf shop on 01381 620733. Players from the home club unless stated. Abbreviations: I Inverness; K Kingsknowe; N Nairn; RD Royal Dornoch; T Tain; Ta Tarbat; To Torvean.
8am – M. Wilson and partner; A Robson and C McMartin; 9am – A Brown and F Allan (N); 9.30am – M Ross and A Drummond; partner and partner; 9.49am – K A Brown and M Wilson (N); K Drever and E Short; M Webster and A MacKay (Ta); S Dunn and C York (N); 10.25am – J Cameron and C Vass (Ta); D Lloyd (RD) and M Gordon (Ta); M Cairney (Ta) and A MacKintosh; J Thornton and A MacDonald (Ta); 11.01am – L Thompson (T) and A Smitton; A MacKay and A Ross (T); S Hunter (N) and H Martin (K); E Smiles (K) and J Godden (N); J Hire (N) and L Cumming (To); 11.46am – C Alexander (K) and A Morrison (I); J Harrison and A Milner (To); E Hughes (To) and F MacDonald (RD); S Duncan (RD) and K Dallas (I); 12.22pm – M. Fraser (I) & M Wallace (I); C MacPherson (I) and H MacLeod (I); 12.58pm – L Coghill (RD) and D McBride (RD); 14.01 – L Nixon and A Wilson.
Strathpeffer Golf Club
Ladies – 1 Elsie Coupland 36; 2 Jean Burnell 35; 3 Gayle Anderson 32.
Gents – Lang’s Tankard – 1 Scott Duff 64 (5) 59; 2 Michael MacNab 67 (5) 62; 3 Norman Ross 75 (12) 63.
Medal – 1 Iain MacDonald 79 (16) 63; 2 Norman Ross 77 (12) 65; 3 Mike Bentley 78 (13) 65.
Left Handed Competition – 1 Brian MacKay 41; 2 Ian Bartlett 40; 3 Mike Bartlett 38.
