Nairn started Sunday in impressive style and with ‘Live Scoring’ in operation were ahead in six games and level in the other two, as the players faced a testing westerly breeze on the opening nine holes for the first time. Andrew Burgess, back from the States this week, was always in control over the Forres number one, Jeff Wright and wins for team captain Fraser Fotheringham, Dave Sanderson and Jamie Mackintosh gave the edge to Nairn with one match left to finish. However, Forres took this one when Brian Fotheringham holed a thirty foot birdie putt on the 17th to beat Robert Smith.

That 4-4 draw eliminated Elgin but still left both Nairn and Forres in with a chance to win, whilst Moray put an end to Nairn Dunbar’s run with a 6-2 win.

The afternoon saw Forres meet Elgin and the game was close with the overall lead changing hands on the outward half a number of times. Forres came through on the back nine to win 5-3 which meant Nairn needed to win 6-2 against Moray to take the title to a sudden death play-off, or outright win if they could better that score line.
Moray at the same time could win with a draw or even narrow defeat.

All three clubs at varying times over the final afternoon were in a league winning position but despite Nairn successes for Ewan Gordon, Logan Gilles, Fraser Fotheringham and Robert Smith, Moray had wins from Kevin Thomson, Ryan Bain and Jake Scott before Kyle Godsman beat Andrew Burgess in the top match.
The game was close at the turn before Kyle built up a 3 hole lead which became 4 at the 14th hole when his tee shot at the difficult long par 3 finished inches from the cup to put him dormie four up. A half at the 15th clinched the necessary last point to tie the match at 4-4 and take the title back to Lossiemouth for the first time since 2010. 

Forres finished runners-up with Nairn having to settle for third place in what will be remembered as the most open league competition for many years.  

A close finish is the only certain outcome with all five teams able to still win the G.R. Thomson Shield. In fact it is mathematically possible for every team to finish on 4 points which would mean a five way countback or even a sudden death play-off to decide the title.

For that to happen Nairn Dunbar and Moray would need to draw, Forres beat Nairn, Elgin beat Forres, Nairn beat Moray: stranger things have happened!

An exciting day’s golf lies ahead.

In the morning two matches, Forres beat Nairn Dunbar and although the score reflects an emphatic win, six games went to the last hole, with most of them going Forres’s way. In the other match a similar score for Nairn beating Elgin. The conditions were ideal with overnight rain making the going a lot softer than Friday.

Forres after their morning win took on Moray and it was the team from Lossiemouth which came out on top. The closest games both went Moray’s way with wins for Graham Murray and Nat Simpson, moving Moray up the table overnight.

Elgin and Nairn Dunbar produced a 4-4 draw that was as close as the match result suggests. Elgin held the upper hand for much of the afternoon and the final outcome hinged on the game between Kevin Taylor and Darren Pitchforth. Both hit the par 5 18th in two and Kevin rolled up a 60 foot putt to the holeside for a birdie four. Darren faced with a 40 foot putt for eagle saw his putt with its final roll drop into the hole for a crucial half point to the appreciation of the local support.

Elgin and Moray met on a beautiful sunny evening which still tested the players with a steady breeze and fast running fairways. The match was evenly poised from the start with Elgin shading the early matches to finish before Moray rallied to lead 4-3 with the top match left on the course. In it Jordan Milne got the better of Graham Murray to leave honours even in a 4-4 tie.

Nairn opened the defence of their title against local rivals Nairn Dunbar and were first on the scoreboard with George Asher winning on the 18th green. Michael Howitt leveled for the visitors after securing a half in birdie 4 on the final green and Logan Gilles, playing in his first Moray and Nairn League, beat the experienced Kenny Donnelly. Calum Scott looked like getting the better of Nairn Dunbar team captain Darren Pitchforth when 2 up with four holes to play but three straight birdies put Darren 1 up and a half in par at the last gave Nairn Dunbar the overall lead for the first time. The top three matches also went Nairn Dunbar’s way to give them a well deserved 6-2 win.

For Nairn Dunbar it broke a run of eight successive losses to Nairn going back to 2009. Since the present format started in 1976 this is the 9th time Nairn have hosted the League and Nairn Dunbar have only ever won on one other previous occasion here against the home club. The year? 1982. The league winners that year? Nairn Dunbar. So is this an omen??!!!!!

Nairn will be looking to continue their level of success in recent years when they defend the Shield on home soil. Led by last year’s Scottish Amateur runner up, Andrew Burgess, they will be the team to beat as they go for a sixth win in the past seven years but Moray will certainly push them all the way as they did at Forres in 2016.

Only Nairn Dunbar have interrupted that run but they, and both Forres and Moray, have enjoyed success in the past at Nairn. Elgin are never an easy fixture for any of the clubs so close competiton is guaranteed over the second weekend in May.