North District title win is just champion for Tain golfer Sean Kennedy
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
TAIN Golf Club's Sean Kennedy won the North District Matchplay Championship at Nairn Golf Club last weekend.
The 20-year-old lifted the Robin Thomson Cup after beating Dougie Thorburn, from Wick, by four and three.
The final was tied after the first seven holes, but Kennedy went ahead on the eighth with a conceded birdie.
This concession seemed to knock the confidence of Thorburn, who gradually lost his composure over the next five holes.
A pulled wedge from semi rough missed the ninth green and a wild drive and lost ball from the 10th tee put the Wick greenkeeper three behind just after the turn.
The Wick golfer's birdie chance on the short 11th hole was missed and when he found a bunker with his approach to the 12th green, he was four down with six to play.
Fighting a fade with woods and irons, Kennedy over-corrected from the 13th tee and lost a ball to the left to concede his first inward hole and after both parred the par three 14th, the end to what had initially been a close contest came at the next hole.
After drives, their second shots were just with wedges, but as Kennedy came up short from his semi rough lie, Thorburn pitched to four feet leaving a very good birdie chance to keep his title hopes alive.
But he raced his first putt, then missed the return, allowing Kennedy a tap in a winning par to take home the trophy.
At the semi final stage of the competition, Kennedy defeated Fraser Fotheringham, from Nairn.
Kennedy was just one behind at the 18th when he forced an extra hole after Fotheringham missed an eagle-winning putt.
At the 19th, Fotheringham missed the green with his second shot and Kennedy's par four saw him through to the final.
Thorburn had a more straightforward semi final when he defeated Liam MacDonald-MacLeod, from Inverness Golf Club.
Thorburn was able to emerge victorious from his last four clash two and one.
His victory owed much to a late surge when he won holes on the 15th and 16th, before the half on the 17th secured his place in the final against Kennedy.
