Testing times for players in East Alliance events
Round up of latest events on winter circuit in the Lothians and Borders
Testing conditions have been the order of the day in events since the restart of the Edinburgh & Edinburgh Alliance after a mid-season break.
First up, on a wet and windy day, was a visit to The Glen in North Berwick, where 76 members were up for the challenge.
There was a four-way tie in the scratch section as Gullane pros Marc Owenson and Lewis Hannah both carded 73s along with Deer Park trainee Ciaran Jones and Kingsknowe amateur Craig Surgeon.
Top handicap prize went to Kings Acre’s Martin Smith with a net 71, which earned him The Professional's Trophy as the overall winner on the day.
Bathgate’s Corran Fraser was top trainee with his 77 while the senior spoils were shared on the same score by Tom Hay (Archerfield Links) and Innes Christie (Mortonhall).
Another testing day followed at Uphall, where Bathgate amateur David Thomson produced one of the best rounds of the season with a four-under 64 that earned him the top scratch prize while he also claimed the Alliance Trophy with a net 68.
Kings Acre’s Lee Greenhalgh was the top trainee on 73, with the senior prize being shared on 72 shared by Neil McGarva (Kilmacolm), Andrew MacDonald (Prestonfield) and Willie Skene (Winterfield).
That was followed by a visit to Winterfield, where early-morning frost delayed the start and resulted in 18 winter greens being in operation for a field of 55 players.
Next event is at Eyemouth
Fraser carded the best gross score with a 56 while the winning net score was 54, returned by Prestonfield duo Paul Frain and Willie Laing, with Frain getting his name on the Tom Galloway Trophy on a better inward nine by one shot.
Top trainee was Ciaran Paterson on 61 while Christie claimed the seniors’ spoils outright this time with a net 60.
Heading into the next event at Eyemouth, Hannah tops the scratch order of merit by 26 points from Ross Neill while Laing is out in front by 36 points from Surgeon in the handicap standings.