Lothians golf round-up: Ali Thurlow sets new course record

Keith Nicholson is again chasing Champion of Champions glory

He started with five pars before picking up birdies at the 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 17th holes.

The sparkling effort beat Thurlow’s previous best score on the course by four shots. “I hit 17 greens and lipped out twice for birdies on the second and ninth,” he said

Euan McIntosh also went low recently with a 63 at Turnhouse, although it was not a course record due to it being off yellow tees.

• Former champs in the title hunt

Former winners Graeme Davidson (Winterfield) and Keith Nicholson (Haddington) are still standing in the Lothians Champion of Champions.

Davidson reached the fourth round with a one-hole win over Longniddry’s Michael Bacigalupo while Nicholson joined him there with a 3&2 victory over Paul Logan (Observers).

Former Lothians champion David Miller (Temple) and Scotland Senior cap John Fraser (Royal Burgess) are among the others still in the title hunt.

• Pairing up

Baberton and Broomieknowe both provide two representatives in the Midlothian team that will enjoy home advantage in the East Women’s Inter-County matches at Mortonhall.

Karen Marshall and Wendy Nicholson are Baberton’s duo while Broomieknowe have Hannah Scott and Kate McIntosh in the side. It is completed by Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw), Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe), Alison McBride (Harburn) and Karen Ferguson-Snedden.

• East Lothian without Young

East Lothian have been unable to call on the services of 2015 Scottish Women’s champion Clara Young for the East Women’s Inter-County event at Mortonhall later this month.

It means they will be heading to the Capital venue with a team consisting of Stacey Cameron, Joanne Free, Jane Herd, Lesley Johnston (all Gullane Ladies), Lauren Lee (Musselburgh), Susan Penman (Gullane Ladies), Keren Ward (North Berwick) and Mary Lou Watkins (Gullane).