Thorburn takes Braid Open by six shots
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ALREADY the holder of the North District Association Cup and the Ross-shire County Cup, Thurso’s Dougie Thorburn added the Howey Cup to his impressive collection from the James Braid Open at Brora last Saturday.
In contrast to falling entries for 36 hole events, the lure and reputation of the James Braid designed links took an entry of almost 80 to Brora which included Sutherland’s county champion and the Royal Dornoch champion golfer.
But all were left in awe as plus one handicapper Thorburn (37), a member of both Thurso and Tain golf clubs, left the strong field trailing by six shots after two outstanding rounds of 67 for a six under par aggregate of 134. His morning card was bogey free and in the afternoon he dropped just one shot at the third hole.
Two former Howey Cup winners also managed sub-par scores in the second round, a 68 from local Roddie Cameron who came home in 32 and a 69 from Murcar’s Iain Powell after an outward 32.
Chasing the scratch leaders for the first time in a 36-hole event was ever improving local Robert MacDonald who grossed 73 and 72 to win the sponsor’s Royal Marine Hotel Trophy with the low nett aggregate of 135 after his five handicap reduction.
In the Class 1 handicap section competing for the Kidd Cup, the winner was Golspie’s Craig MacDougall with a nett 138.
In the higher handicap section, the Duke of Sutherland Cup left the county after being won on a better second round card play-off by Muir of Ord’s David Grant (13) with nett 142 (72/70) over Golspie’s Raymond Jack (71/71)
Intertwined into the men’s event, the James Braid Society members competed for the Braid Trophy and it was won by the Brora club secretary Tony Gill with nett cards of 74 and 80.
The weekend concluded on Sunday with open mixed foursomes when the conditions were slightly easier but the greens were a bit faster under the sunny sky.
It was no surprise that the lowest combined handicap pairing were the only couple to break 80. Ladies’ section secretary Marlene Bokas (10) and head greenkeeper James MacBeath (1) put together halves of 38 and 41 for a winning scratch score of 79.
From Lybster came John Gunn and Lorna MacMillan to gross 81 (40/41) and win the Royal Marine Hotel Trophy with nett 71.
Results
James Braid Open — Scratch — Howey Cup: 134 D Thorburn (Tain). 140 I S Powell (Murcar). 144 R S Cameron (Brora). Handicap overall: R MacDonald (Brora) (5) 135. Class 1 — Kidd Cup: C MacDougall (Golspie) (5) 138. D Mackay (RDGC) (5) 139. R Woodside (Craigielyn) 97) 139. J Corbet (RDGC) (9) 139. C Sutherland (Golspie) (9) 140. Class 2 — Duke of Sutherland Cup: D T Grant (Muir of Ord) (13) 142. R Jack (Golspie) (15) 142. Best Individual Scratch B Ferries (Tain) 71. Best Handicap D Norrie (Brora) (11) 64.
Mixed Foursomes — Scratch (Links Trophy) J MacBeath/M Bokas (Brora) 79. J Turner (Tyneside/S Smith (Brora) 82. R Stewart/K Bissell (Torvean) 85. Handicap Class 1 — T Gill/A Grant (Brora) (10½) 72½. M MacKintosh/L Mackay (Brora) (14) 73. G Duncan/M Fox (Brora) (12) 74. Class 2 — A Murray/A Brown (Brora) (24) 72. A & A Gunn (RDGC) (22) 75. E & H Morrison (Inverness) (20) 76. Royal Marine Trophy — J Gunn/L MacMillan( Lybster) (10) 71.
