Mens Tournaments - Season 2009-2010

Thurso Open - 08 August 09
Orkney lads battle for title but BiG Mur wins handicap

In common with most 36 hole open events, numbers for this year's Central Hotel Open at Thurso Golf Club were down on previous years. None the less the field of 100 was significant by any standards and, despite some early morning fog and light rain later on, the players enjoyed excellent conditions.

First round scores in the scratch section were relatively modest with Thurso's recently crowned club champion Bryan Ronald leading the way with a one over par 70. Orcadian Steven Rendall was next best on 72, two clear of Reay's, Lee Parnell and Alan Swanson and Peter Sangster from the home club.

In the second round the wheels came off for Ronald after the eighth hole allowing a demonstration of Orcadian talent to come to the fore.

Title holder Sean Fotheringhame and Graeme Flett from Kirkwall both made big improvements from their first rounds in shooting level par 69's, the best rounds of the day. They were closely followed by Rendall, also from the Kirkwall club, and exile Jim Sangster, the Thurso course record holder, who both had 70. Alan Swanson was next best with 71.

When the arithmetic was done Steven Rendall was declared winner with a total of 142, three ahead of Swanson.

ALL Winners and sponsor.

This was the latest in a run of wins for this excellent scratch handicap golfer as he already emerged victorious at his home club and Stromness opens as well as playing a major role in Kirkwall winning this year's Wilson Cup.

Some very good handicap returns were made in Round 1 with pride of place going to young Graeme McLeod with a nett 63. The 21 handicap player had three birdies on his card and was only three over par at the turn.

Lachie Sutherland kept the Castletown flag flying with a nett 64, one ahead of Harvey Cowe. Ian Graham and Andrew Lannon both had nett 66 with Ronald and Reay's Dav Mackay a further shot back.

Fewer under par returns were made in the second round but Reay's Murray McGlasson and the home club's Stuart Bell both excelled with nett 65's, joining Fotheringhame and Flett.

Hamish Boyd and Innes Mitchell were next best with nett 66 and 67 respectively.

McGlasson's second round, that included a one over par inward nine and a birdie at the seventeenth, earned him the handicap title over McLeod after both finished with totals of 134 for the two rounds.

Further handicap prizes went to:-

• Category 1 (0-12):-
  1. Malcolm Morrison - 68, 68 = 136
  2. Alistair Bell  69, 69 = 138
  3. Stephen Williamson - 69, 69 = 138
  4. Dav Mackay - 67, 71 = 138
     Harvey Cowe also had 138 but lost out on his second round.
• Category 2 (13-28):-
  1. Stuart Bell - 72,65 = 137
  2. Andrew Lannon - 66, 75 = 141
  3. Iain Graham - 66,76 = 142
  4. Kenny Smith (Alyth) - 74, 69 = 143
     Ronnie Williamson and Greg McEwan also had 143 but lost out on their second rounds.

There was icing on McLeod's cake as he also won the award for nearest the hole at the third where his six iron shot was only 39cm away.

After receiving his trophy from Lyn Cardosi, representing the sponsors, Rendall payed tribute to the greens staff for the superb condition of the course.

End-of-Document

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