Host club member Neil Gordon produces 'round of my life' to win East Alliance event at Dunbar

Host club member Neil Gordon produced a stunning performance to land the silverware as the Edinburgh & East of Scotland Golfers’ Alliance returned to Dunbar after an 11-year gap.

Dunbar Golf Club hosted its first Edinburgh & East of Scotland Golfers' Alliance event after an 11-year gap and it proved a memorable day for a host club member Neil Gordon. Picture: Dunbar Golf Club

On a day when 83 members teed up on the East Links, six-handicapper Gordon carded a two-under-par 69 to claim the T C Jordan Trophy as the overall winner.

The effort came off the yellow tees rather than the whites due to the weather forecast, but, nonetheless, it was no surprise to hear Gordon had described it as the “round of my life”.

He was out in 35, having mixed birdies at the third, fourth and eighth with a bogey at the short fifth before offsetting a dropped shot at the tenth with a fine birdie at the tough 12th on the inward journey.

“It was great to see some so pleased after their round,” reported Alliance secretary Alan Greenshields of Gordon’s score, which secured him a three-shot success after Bathgate’s Simon Preece had set the clubhouse target with a net 66 in the first game out.

Pro Neil Henderson (The Renaissance Club) claimed the scratch spoils with a 67, one shot better than Kingsknowe amateur Paul Page, while last week’s winner, Bathgate trainee pro Joe Bryce, had to settle for being top trainee on this occasion with a 71. Top seniors on 69 were Winterfield’s Willie McLean and Willie Miller from Falkirk Tryst.

“The players were saying the course was in fantastic condition,” said Greenshields, with a number taking to social media to express that view.

In a post on Twitter, Page wrote: “I have to say of all the courses I have played this winter Dunbar is miles ahead of the rest. Fantastic tees and fairways with greens most can only dream about.”

Heading into the final few events, Pumperston’s Davie Thomson still leads the Scratch Order of Merit but only by half a point from Craig Surgeon from Liberton. Thomson also tops the handicap standings from Prestonfield’s Andrew MacDonald.

The next event is an invitational tournament at Falkirk Tryst before a rescheduled event at Eyemouth on 21 March will provide a last chance for members to improve Scratch OOM points in the battle to play in the season-ending championship at Gullane No 2 on 29 March.