CARA THOMPSON WINS NORTHERN COUNTIES TITLE FOR EIGHTH TIME
Left to right: Liz Munro (President of Northern Counties), handicap champion 15-year-old Iona Reid (Nairn Dunbar), scratch champion Cara Thompson (Royal Dornoch) and Meg Sievwright, secretary of Northern Counties Ladies GA. Picture by Robin Wilson
By Colin Farquharson
Cara Thompson beat Royal Dornoch clubmate Alison Bartlett 2 and 1 in this afternoon's Northern Counties women's championship final at Inverness Golf Club.
It is the eighth time Cara has won the title - one short of the record nine times set by Isobel McIntosh (Inverness) but the first time she has won the championship when Inverness has been the venue.
Thompson was one up at the turn after losing the first to a birdie but winning the seventh and ninth. Bartlett three-putted the 11th and 12th to lose both holes and go three down.
Thompson was bunkered to lost the 13th but maintained her two-hole lead to the end with a series of halves.
Iona Reid, 15-year-old Nairn Dunbar junior member, won the handicap title by beating Linda Wheeler (Forres) 6 and 4. Iona plays off 24 and Linda 15. Reid lost the first but won five holes in a row from the third and was three up at the turn. The Nairn Dunbar youngster clinched victory by winning the 11th, 13th and 14th.
MATCH-PLAY RESULTS SCRATCH
QUARTER-FINALS
Caitlin Boa (Royal Dornoch ) bt Kerri Harper (Nairn) at 22nd
Cara Thompson (Royal Dornoch) bt Sandy Jackson (Royal Dornoch) 1 hole.
Ellie Doherty (Moray) bt Steph Cloverly (Wick) 5 and 4.
Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch) bt June Nicol (Inverness) 4 and 3
SEMI-FINALS
Thompson bt Boa 1 hole.
Bartlett bt Doherty 2 and 1.
FINAL
Thompson bt Bartlett 2 and 1.
HANDICAP QUARTER-FINALS
Debbie Bethune (Royal Dornoch) (21) bt Linda Wood (Forres) (22) 4 and 3
Linda Wheeler (Forres) (15) bt Emma Borthwick (Nairn Dunbar) (12) 6 and 4
Iona Reid (Nairn Dunbar) (24) bt Sarah Westwood (Elgin) (8) 5 and 4
Susan McVicar (Nairn) (9) bt Deidre MacAngus (Wick) (7) 2 holes
SEMI-FINALS
Wheeler bt Bethune 2 holes
Reid bt McVicar 4 and 2
FINAL
Reid bt Wheeler 6 and 4.
