McConnachie takes the Taylor Tankard for second year in a row
Dunaverty Golf Club members once again had to contend with gale-force winds and rain when competing in the New Year event, the main prize for which was the Taylor Tankard, donated by the Taylor family.
Playing in the first group, Alistair McConnachie, winner of the Tankard last year, set about defending his title by reaching the turn in 37 strokes, two ahead of Neil Brodie and Campbell MacBrayne, while in the last group David MacBrayne produced an excellent front nine total of 34 to threaten Alistair’s lead.
However, Alistair, determined to retain the Tankard, dug in and posted a 36 on the inward half while David slipped badly on the way back and carded 49 for the back nine.
Neil also stumbled slightly to record 42 which put both of these players out of contention.
Grant Edmondson played a steady game to get within touching distance of Alistair but bogies at 17 and 18 left him in second place as Alistair had a better inward half.
This was the next round of a tworound event, the other being the Christmas competition, and David MacBrayne came through to take the honours in this one.
His first round net total of 60, together with the New Year net 72, left him the winner by two strokes.
Alistair not only won the Taylor Tankard but, by virtue of being first in the new year competition, he scooped the captain’s prize of a bottle
of Glenfiddich whisky.
Captain John Brown thanked the members for supporting both competitions and looked forward to a busy 2020.
New Year competition result: 1 Alistair McConnachie 73-6=67(bih), 2 Grant Edmondson 81-14=67, 3 Neil Brodie 80-10=70(bih), 4 Malcolm Ronald 87-17=70, 5 Campbell MacBrayne 79-8=71, 6 David MacBrayne 83-11=72.
Alistair had the best scratch score with a 73 and the CSS was 66.
Christmas and New Year combined result: 1 David MacBrayne 60+72=132, 2 Alistair McConnachie 67+67=134, 3 Malcolm Ronald 69+70=139, 4 Alan Goddard 68+74=142, 5 Keith Crawford 70+75=145.