Mens Tournaments - Season 2009-2010

County Championships (36) Thurso - 13 June 09
Alan wins with better inward second round

Winner, Alan Swanson, Thurso Golf Club

Traditionally the County Championship does not attract a big field and Saturday was no exception as 32 players entered the event at Thurso Golf Club. The course was beautifully presented and, apart from a fair breeze, conditions were good so it was a bit surprising that scores were generally on the high side.

Gary Calder was the first to return a good score in Round 1 with a three over par 72, soon to be followed by Peter Sangster on 73, both players scoring level par on the way out and dropping shots on the back nine.

Doug Thorburn also had 35 shots for his outward nine and the same on the way in to lead by two shots at the half way stage.

Jim Sangster and Alan Swanson, both with 76, and Lee Parnell, 77, were next best with a lot of catching up to do in the second round.

Calder and Peter Sangster led the handicap section at this stage with Angus Cameron, Walter Rutherford, Dav Mackay and Kevin Morris well in contention.

Harvey Cowe provided the early talking point in the second round with a massive 13 shot improvement on his first round in recording a gross 76, nett 64.

Calder had 39 shots each half for a 78 and was soon overtaken in both scratch and handicap sections by Peter Sangster who added a 74 to his first round 73 for a total of 147.

Playing in a two ball in the afternoon Thorburn was a relatively early finisher returning a 73 to set the target of 143 for the two rounds. The leader had three birdies in his round but also a double bogey at the closing holes on each nine.

Information from the course suggested that Alan Swanson was going well, reaching the turn in 31 shots, four under par, with birdies at the first, second, fourth and eighth holes. Only one more birdie was to follow, at the seventeenth, but an inward nine of 36 shots gave him a superb 67 to tie with Thorburn and to land the County Championship, for the first time, courtesy of the better second round.

Peter Sangster, third overall, was the handicap winner on 137, a shot ahead of Calder with Ali Simpson's second round nett 67 earning him third place on count back from Kevin Morris.

Jim Sangster, who had a second round 75 claimed the third scratch award.

After receiving the trophy from Club Captain Pat Valentine, an emotional Swanson paid tribute to the condition of the course and commiserated with Thorburn who came so close to winning again.

Photo

LtoR:- J Sangster, D Thorburn, A Swanson (winner), P Valentine, P Sangster & G Calder

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