Club Championship & Monthly Medals - Season 2008-2009

J&G Sutherland/April Medal - 26 April 08
Young pretender returns for glory

Almost ten years ago Roddy Harper became Thurso Golf Club's youngest ever Club Champion when he was only sixteen years old but soon after gave up the game. A change of heart this year persuaded him to seek a handicap once more and on Saturday he showed that the magic is still there as he won the J&G Sutherland April Medal on count back from an unlucky Douglas Mackenzie who shot a gross 76, the best round of his life.

Harper had three bogeys on the outward nine but birdies at the fourth and eighth holes got him to the turn in 36 shots, one over par. Although there were no more birdies his only deviations from par on the way in were an understandable bogey at the tenth and a far less likely double bogey at the fifteenth to give him a gross 73, comfortably the lowest gross score of the day. After his new nine handicap was applied the result was a winning nett 64.

Like Harper, Mackenzie was also out in 36, his only blemish a bogey at the long seventh. An excellent birdie at the tenth got him back to level par and he was still in great shape after 15 holes but five dropped shots over the last three holes would have taken the gloss off a memorable round.

There was a gap of six between Ian Boyd's best and worst holes but he had enough good ones to earn a nett 68 off his 27 handicap to relegate Harvey Cowe to fourth place on count back. By the time Cowe got to the closing holes a strong wind was making things difficult so he did well to get round in eighty off his 12 handicap. Alf Williamson looked to be out of things after an outward 47 but an admirable inward nine of 40 gave him a nett 69 and fifth place on count back over vice captain Pat Valentine who got it round in 77 shots- not bad for a veteran! Alistair Bell and Willie Shearer also deserve a mention as the only other players to break 80 on a day that became increasingly windy, playing havoc with the scores of the afternoon starters.

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