A poor turnout of 19 players competed for the Shamash Trophy at Thornhill on Sunday 24 September 2017.The course was in immaculate condition on a day of perfect weather in the morning but the downpours kept on coming from those ever- present, heavily laden clouds in the afternoon.
Liam Carruthers (Powfoot) made an ideal start with birdies at the first, fifth and ninth holes to be out in 33, two under par in the morning. He dropped shots at the tenth and sixteenth on the way in for a three over par 39 and a total of one over par 72. This was one shot better than Martin McNae (Lochmaben) and John McBeth (Lochmaben).
Martin was out in a steady two over par 37 and back in level par 36 with a birdie at the last while John had a first nine of 36, with a birdie at the fifth, and a second nine of 37 with a birdie at the eleventh.
Chris Corbett (D&G) continued his good form with a 74, three over par. Out in 34, one under par, with birdies at 1, 6 and 9 he could not maintain the momentum and although he had another birdie at the short 14th he uncharacteristically dropped shots at 10, 12, 15 and 18.
Other good rounds in the morning came from Ross Murray (Southerness) and Iain Thomson (Powfoot) with 75’s
As the weather worsened in the afternoon Liam Carruthers put together a wonderful crafted round as he captured his first title in an OOM event. A birdie on the second got him up and running, followed by further birdies at 5, 6 and 9 saw him complete the outward nine in 32, three under par. He finished the job off with a composed constructed display of front-running golf as he finished his round with two more birdies in his inward nine of 37 and a score of one under par 69 for a 36 hole total of 141.
The chasing pack gave it a good go as they tried their best to pile on some pressure. It was Mike Grunwell (D&G) who led the initial offensive with an early charge of three birdies in his first nine of 32 but with dropped shots coming home he finished with 72 and total of 152.
Neil Hamilton (Powfoot), with a one over par 37 on the outward nine and on the inward nine completed his round in 73 and a total of 149. Chris Corbett matched this total with his 75 and a tie for second place. His undoing was the first nine in 39 blows, dropping shots at 4, 6 and 9 before he regained his composure to come back in 36, level par.
The only other good score in the afternoon before the course became almost unplayable was produced by Andrew Kerr (Crichton) 74.
The CSS in the morning round was 73 and in the afternoon 73 reduction only.
Individual Scores
141 Liam Carruthers (Powfoot) 72, 69
149 Neil Hamilton (Powfoot) 76, 73
Chris Corbett, (D&G) 74, 75
152 Michael Grunwell (D&G) 80, 72
Ross Murray (Southerness) 75, 77
154 G Blayney (Southerness) 76, 78
155 Iain Thomson (Powfoot) 75, 80
John McBeth (Lochmaben) 73, 82
157 M Lochhart (Crichton) 80, 77
Callan Harkness (Lochmaben) 76, 81
158 Clark Riddick (Southerness) 79, 79
162 D Wilson (Sanquhar) 79, 83
163 A Kerr (Crichton) 80, 74
P Watret (Lochmaben) 83, 80
165 S Thomson (Southerness) 84, 81
NR M McNae (Lochmaben) 73, NR
Robbie McBeath (Lochmaben) 78, NR
S Foote (Powfoot) 79, NR
J Houston (Prestwick) 83, NR
The photograph shows Liam Carruthers with the Shamash Trophy.