Best entry for years as Moray team defends Northern Counties Cup

The Northern Counties Cup men’s double foursomes inter-club knockout tournament begins today at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club.

Traditionally, it attracts the best amateur golfers from throught the north as far afield as Orkney.

This year there are 37 teams entered, three fewer than the maximum and the best entry the competition has had for many years.

Holders Moray are back to defend their title with the same team as last year – Stuart Tatters and Malcolm Macleman, Kyle Godsman and Graeme Murray.

Moray and Murcar Links, who were last year’s beaten finalist, are the only seeded teams and appear in the opposite sides of the draw.

Canadian Christopher Vandette beat Ireland’s Joseph Byrne in a play-off at Castle Stuart to win the Duke of York Young Champions’ Trophy tournament.

They had finished the regulation three rounds in windy and sometimes wet conditions level on 226, Vandette with rounds of 79, 76 and 71, Byrne with scores of 69 80 and 77.

Calum Scott, from Nairn, finished tied 14th on 238 with scores of 74, 82 and 82. Elgin’s Sarah Westwood finished 53rd on 284.

The leading girl competitors in the final totals were Emily Zhu (Canada), who had rounds of 80, 78 and 77, and Franziska Sliper (Norway), who carded 74, 81 and 80, who tied for eighth place overall on 235.

Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) and Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch) finished well down the Sen- ior British women’s open amateur championship field at Crail Golfing Society where East Berkshire-based Laura Webb, from Ireland, won the title by nine shots with a four-under-par total of 140 (67-73).

Wood, with four double bogeys in her second round, scored 81 and 88 for 169 and a share of 57 th place.

Bartlett shot 84 and 97 for 191 and joint 81st place.