Donald Ross Juniors (Royal Dornoch)

The winners at the presentation

Back Row L to R - Kieran Rorison (Loch Ness), Corey McAlpine (Invergordon), David Norris (HiltonPark) 

Dennis Bethune (Honorary Vice President RDGC), Christine Ecberg (Donald Ross winner), 

Mike Thomas (Tournament Controller), Axel Woxholt (Oslo). 

Front L to R - Stina Resen (Oslo), Permile Ecberg (Denmark) and Shannen McGuire (Canmore) 
[Click on the image to enlarge in a new window] 

Scandanavian Superstars

By Robin Wilson

Two sixteen year old Scandinavian girls were the superstars of the Donald Ross Junior International golf tournament at Royal Dornoch with finished today when they became the winners of the main scratch and handicap trophies.

After the complexity of balancing the 23 girls' scores against those of the 67 boys', the girls receiving a downward adjusted in relation to the differing pars of each course played, overnight scratch leader from the Struie course where her two under par 70 (35/35), is a new women's course record by six shots bettering Nairn Dunbar's Kelsey MacDonald's 76 in the same tournament two years ago, three handicapper Stina Resen (Oslo GC) [pictured right] added a gross 79 (38/41) on the championship course to finish on 149, and after adjustment 141, to win the scratch Royal Dornoch Trophy.

Meanwhile her travelling companion from Himmelberg GC (Denmark), Christine Ecberg [left in the picture above], became the third girl to win the prestiges Donald Ross Trophy without any adjustment necessary to her scores after returning an actual nett aggregate of 133, off 12, nett cards of 65 (Struie) and 68 (championship) will certainly reduce her handicap on her return home.

Will Rennie (Hazelhead) returned the boy's leading gross aggregate of 145, 72 and 73, his 73 on the championship course a one under outward nine of 34 but a double bogey six on the closing hole for inward 39. In a tie for second place were Inverness pair Greg Forsyth 75/72, and Martin Laing 73/74. Two off the pace after his first round Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon), who is also the Royal Dornoch junior champion, drifted back to joint third with a 76 and joining Axel Woxholt (Oslo) on 148. Woxholt 75/73.

Forsyth also led the boy's nett returns 135 (69/66), off 6, to win the Dornoch Quaich and from neighbouring Loch Ness Golf Club, Kieran Rorison handicap 13, was runner up losing to Forsyth on the poorer second round 67/68.

15-year-old Shannon McGuire (Canmore, Dunfermline) (hdc 10) led the girl's nett returns on 139 and eight ahead of Fiona Brown (Dunblane New) (19) 147 (69/78).

Prizewinners; (First scores Struie course)

Donald Ross Trophy: Christine Ecberg (Denmark) (12) 133

Royal Dornoch Trophy Stina Resen (Norway) 141 (After Adjustment)

Handicap (Dornoch Quaich) – Greg Forsyth (Inverness) (6) 135 (69/66). Kieran Rorison (Loch Ness) (13) 135 (67/68). Martin Laing (Inverness) (5) 137. (Girls ) - Shannen McGuire (Canmore) (10) 139. Fiona Brown (Dunblane New) (19) 147. Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) (9) 150.

Individual Scoring(Outwith main prizewinners) - Round 1 (Struie Course) - (Provost's Trophy) Corey McAlpine (Invergordon) (15) 63. Will Rennie (Hazelhead) (5) 67. Permile Ecberg (Denmark) (14) 68.

Round 2 (Championship Course) – Dornoch Firth Trophy – David Norris (Hilton Park) (18) 67. Ryan Webster (Moray) (5) 68. Axel Woxholt (Norway) 915) 69.