Congratulations to Mark Riley - Winner of the 2006 Highland Classic

Our congratulations are extended to Mark Riley from Manor Of Groves Golf Club in Hertfordshire who sealed victory in the Highland Golf Classic with another impressive score of 39 points on the final days play over Royal Dornoch. We would also like to congratulate husband and wife team of Tony and Angela O'Shea who scored an impressive 72points on the final day to snatch victory over Riley and McDonald.

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HIGHLAND GOLF CLASSIC: DAY FOUR - ROYAL DORNOCH

With the sun splitting the sky on the Dornoch Firth it was a fitting end to the Highland Golf Classic that we returned to the famous links of Royal Dornoch. With Conditions perfect for high scoring it was no surprise the Alison Nicholson carded a superb 41 points with this weeks two most consistent golfers, Mark Riley and Angela O'Shea both carding an excellent 39 points.

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HIGHLAND GOLF CLASSIC: DAY THREE - TAIN

Tain hosted the first Highland Golf Classic in 2001 and it was a welcome return to this wonderfully scenic golf course. The sun split the trees at Tain to welcome the players on the Wednesday morning. As for the scoring Mark Riley carded 38 points. Not far behind was Angela O'Shea from Carlow who scored 35 points and one behind was Alison Nicholson on 34 points.

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HIGHLAND GOLF CLASSIC: DAY TWO - GOLSPIE

It's always the way. The opening paragraph of almost every report on the Scottish Golf Classics we've ever done starts with the weather! Good, bad or indifferent it's always the opening gambit.
So in keeping with tradition it is great to report several cases of sunburn and not a waterproof in sight!

Golspie is the least known of the four courses in this particular event and combines a lovely mix of almost parkland and pure links in its layout which by the way is another example of the prolific course designer James Braid. Flanked by the sea to the east and overlooked by the mountains to the west Golspie really is a superb location in which to play and the friendliness of the staff guarantee a warm welcome. It's small clubs like this one that were the inspiration behind the Scottish Golf Classics in the first place and it's always good to return.

As for the scoring two 37 point totals carded - one from an Irishman, one from and English lady!
Unfortunately for Sharon Shipton from Nazeing, her back nine points total was just one shy of Carlow's Tony O'Shea. Overnight leader Colin McDonald backed up his opening 32 with a solid 30 but not enough to keep him in premier position. That honour rest for the time being at least with Tony O'Shea and Mark Riley with a combined two day total of 65 points.

The team leaderboard appears to be between England and Ireland. The O'Shea's with 122 points sit five points off the lead held by McDonald and Riley. Third place seems a long way back on 106.
Standing on the hillock behind the tricky par three 16th and you have a wonderful panoramic view of the Sutherland coastline. Wonderful place to play golf and a wonderful place for Anne Buckley to ease her seven wood to nearest the pin.

Thanks again to all at Golspie for another wonderful day's golf.

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HIGHLAND GOLF CLASSIC: DAY ONE - BRORA

After the gales and rain of last week in Ayrshire it came as a very pleasant relief to see Brora under the canvas of blue skies if still a little windy! With a mid morning start the players came in with the afternoon sun on their backs and satisfied smiles of contentment. Brora is the archetypal reason why visitors want to play Links Golf in Scotland. The wind coming in off the North Sea, blind flags, raised tees and just a wonderful presence. Like Prestwick last week, you come off Brora with the sense of history and an understanding of how golf really came about. You also begin to understand why The Open Championship is played on links. They offer a truly uniquely Scottish experience - regardless of what the Irish may say!

The scoring was quite low with an average stableford of 23.5 and no-one set themselves up as a runaway leader. A 32 leads the way from Englishman Colin McDonald from Manor of Grove Golf Club with his club partner Mark Riley a single point behind along with American Charles Douglass who also had 31 points. Charles who played in the Ayrshire Golf Classic last week, also managed to drop in a four wood to nearest the pin at the eighteenth just missing the putt for birdie at the same time.
The team event is being lead by Riley and McDonald with 63 points but only by four from Elston and Douglass and Helal and Buckley on 55.

High point was probably Bill Elston's back to back birdies but worth a mention was the visitor who went out before the competitors and shot a gross 61 with a bogey four at the last! Ah well we can all dream on...

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