Connell hits course record to take open triumph at Brora
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WITH a first round course record card for the lengthened Brora Golf Course, Inverness Golf Club member Stuart Connell topped both the 36-hole scratch and nett aggregates in the Royal Marine Hotel James Braid Open at Brora last Saturday.
Since 1976 the course record has been 61 for the original James Braid designed course of par 69, set by local doyen Jim Miller. With last winter’s extension to the 11th hole to bring it up to a par five, the par has risen to 70, thirty-five each half.
The new record of 67 has a similarity with the old. Jim Miller’s card featured an eagle two at the 16th, while at the 17th, 22-year-old Stirling University student Connell, last season’s Inverness club champion, holed his seven iron second shot for eagle two.
Earlier in his round he birdied the first and seventh holes for a one under par before making a bogey four on the ninth and then his eagle two at the 17 hole for an inward 33.
Connell’s card led by one from local head greenkeeper James MacBeath whose outward half of 32 put him in with a shout of capturing a new course record but his card fell back to 36 on the inward half for two under par 68.
Also featuring on the first round leaderboard was Connell’s clubmate Donald Rae with a 71, former local scratch winner Roddie Cameron, with 72 and Billy Ferries (Tain) 73. Previous three-time winner of the scratch Howey Cup, Chris Mailley (Royal Dornoch) had an inward half of 42 for 78. He is evidently short of match practice following his recent arm break and did not go out for a second round.
The group on 75 included local Calum Stewart, Dougie Brown (Prestwick), Ian Murray (Falkirk) and Alistair MacDougall (Golspie).
From this group, only MacDougall improved in the afternoon but by breaking par for a second time Connell’s 69 (33/36) added to his course record 67 won the Howey Cup by two from MacBeath who added a second round 73. MacDougall’s level par last nine holes in round two for 73 lifted him into sole possession of third place with 148.
Connell added the sponsors’ Royal Marine Hotel Trophy to his luggage for the return trip to Inverness with his nett aggregate of 134 putting him three ahead of Ross Woodside (Pitlochry) (8) 69 and 68 whose efforts were rewarded in the category 1 handicap section with the Kidd Cup while the Duke of Sutherland Dunrobin Cup was won in class 2 by Gordon Campbell (Inverness) with a nett 145 from 21 handicap.
Results. Scratch, Howey Cup – 136 S Connell (Inverness) 67/69. 141 J G MacBeath (Brora) 68/73. 148 A MacDougall (Golspie) 75/73. 149 G Gilhooley (Craigielaw) 77/72. R S Cameron (Brora) (72/77). 151 I Murray (Falkirk) 75/76, L Chancellor (Inverness) 73/78. B Ferries (Tain) (73/78), D D Rae (Inverness) (71/80).
Handicap Duke of Sutherland Cup — Class 2 – G Campbell (Brora) (21) 145
Royal Marine Hotel Trophy – S Connell (Inverness (1) 134.
