Ross masters the conditions in Nuvia Reay Open
THE annual Nuvia Reay Open attracted a healthy field of players with some excellent scores recorded during two days of competition over 36 holes.
The quest for glory in the scratch competition developed into a three-horse race between Reay stalwarts Fred Groves, Cammie Ross and Steve Efemey. Groves had his nose in front after round one with a fine 73, made up of halves of 39 and an inward 34 which included a barrage of birdies at the 13th, 15th and 17th holes.
Efemey found himself a stroke behind after a steady round of 74 which included a single birdie at the 14th hole, with Ross handily placed after his round of 75 which was made up of 12 pars and six bogeys.
Round two brought windier weather but Ross mastered the conditions better than the rest to post a second successive round of 75, with birdies at the 13th and 15th holes providing the highlights of his day. His two-round tally of 150 was matched by Groves, who posted a score of 77 which included a solitary birdie at the 15th. Efemey also posted a round of 77, which included birdies at the sixth and 13th, to finish a stroke adrift on 151.
In the final analysis it was Ross who prevailed to claim the scratch trophy from Groves by virtue of his better second-round score.
Groves had the consolation of bagging the handicap trophy with a nett score of 132 with the unfortunate Efemey missing out on this too, finishing runner-up on 137.
Aside from the main trophy winners, Lee Malcolm won the round one handicap prize with an excellent nett 65, while Alex Anderson won the round two prize also with a blistering round of nett 65.
The August medal saw players having to contend with wet and windy conditions. Colin Munro adapted best to the weather to win category one after posting a round of 77 for nett 69, with birdies at the sixth and 16th helping him on his way to success.
Sandy Chisholm won category two after his round of 85 was good enough for nett 72.
In the ladies' section Mollie O’Brien continued her excellent run of form to win the Hamilton Trophy with a fine round of 78 for nett 73. A red-hot putting streak helped Carol Paterson claim the 18-hole Stableford competition with a fine haul of 39 points which included a birdie at the 16th hole. Pam Bain and Alison Ross shared second place on 33 points.