After a season of small cup entries, it was refreshing to get 52 players in
for the Festive Singles. Not as many as last year but, once again, players
from all over Orkney turned up, including the usual three from Westray.
Hopefully, in the second half of the season, the cup entries will rise to
last year¹s levels.

As the Festive Singles is a ranking points event, all the registered players
were striving to make at least the last 16. But, as usual, some crashed out
early on, including last year's champion, Stevie Linklater. And he wasn¹t the only
one, as some of the B players did well, but only one B player made the
quarter-finals, that was Derek Farmer and, also, Ramie Rendall, a former
league player, both went out at this stage.

It was four players from different clubs who contested the semi-finals and
the winning players were Ivan Leslie and Billy Ward. Both players had come
through some very hard matches and the final saw both players on top form.
They shared the first four games. Then Ivan went 3-2 up and it looked all
over in the best of seven final. But Billy came back to make it three-all,
so it was all down to one leg, and Billy held his nerve for a great win. It
is not so long ago that Billy came back to the game, after a number of years
out. But he is a two-times singles and doubles champion.

That was the third ranking points event and the top players are: Ivan Leslie
21, Ian Wilkie 19, Kevin Gray 17, Brian Moar 17, Billy Ward 17, Derek Firth
17, Stevie Linklater 16, Bruce Moar 10, Robbie Stanger 10, Ian Linklater 10,
Roy Foubister 9, C. Kirkpatrick 6, Paul Foubister 6 and Mark Louttit 6. Lots
of other players have points, ranging from five to three.

There were 180s scored by Alan Gray, Stevie Linklater, Kevin Gray, Brian
Moar, Paul Foubister and Ian Wilkie. That makes a first half total of 162,
18 more than last year¹s first half. Three players have scored eight - Derek
Firth, Ian Linklater and Stevie Linklater.

There were high checkouts of 100 from Ivan Leslie, 101 from Derek Farmer,
104 from David Kirkpatrick, 104 from Ian Wilkie, 107 from Billy Ward, 112
from Erik Bews, 112 from Roy Foubister 115 from Derek Firth. Ross Donaldson
leads the A table with a 167 and Trevor Shearer tops the B table with
151. These scores will take some beating, but it is only half time. In total
there have  been 122 finishes of 100 or over and leading the way with most
top checkouts in Ian Wilkie with seven.

The only thing remaining now is the annual East v West game. This year it is
in Stromness Golf Club on Friday. There have been some
call-offs, so it is important that all remaining players and the reserves
travel. A bus will be leaving the Kirkwall Royal British Legion at 7pm.
That is all for the first half of the season. The second half gets under way
on Monday, January 10, 2011.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the players and their
families.


RESULT
FESTIVE SINGLES FINAL
Billy Ward 4, Ivan Leslie 3.

FIXTURE
Friday, December 17
East v West, in Stromness Golf Club, at 7pm prompt.