Friday, August 06, 2004

PRESTWICK ST. CUTHBERT CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

Finalists enjoyed perfect conditions on Friday evening when the 5 Club Championship finals at St. Cuthbert were played.

In the JUNIOR FINAL James Tarrant, recent winner in the St. Cuthbert Boys Open, faced Blair Caddis. Caddis got off to a flying start, taking the first with a birdie 3, but Tarrant fought back to gain a two hole advantage at the turn, covering the first half in level par, despite a double bogey at the final hole of the half. Tarrant maintained his lead through 12 and finished off the match with a chip in at the 16th for a 3 & 2 win.

In the LADIES BRONZE final, Defending champion Maureen Paterson faced Past Captain Judith Pettigrew. An early lead by Pettigrew was countered by Paterson who reached the turn with a 1 hole advantage, with some very effective recovery play around the greens. In the inward half, paterson steadily took control, and wins at 13 and 14 set up an eventual win for Maureen Paterson by 4 & 3, giving her a hat trick of titles following last years win and her innaugural success in 1994.

The GENTS DIVISION 2 final was a closely contested affair between Jim Smith and Tom Houston, whos son Jamie had taken the Gents Championship for the first time 12 months earlier. Tom Houston won the first, but in what was to be an all too familiar pattern, Jim Smith squared the match at the third. The following holes were exchanged before Houston went two ahead, winning 6 & 7. Smith however fought back again, winning successive holes to square the match at the turn. Houston restored his lead winning 11,12 & 13, but Smith again pegged him back reducijng the deficit to one hole at the last. A solid par 5 by Smith left Houston with work to do, but despite being in two bunkers, Houston bravely holed from 10 feet for par to take the title by 1 hole.

The LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP was between Catherine Malcolm, bidding for her 17th win in 19 years, and last seasons beaten finalist Marie Whyte. Despite some fine golf, Whyte had no answer to Malcolm who built a 5 hole lead after 8. The lead was extended to 6 holes at the 10th when Malcolm drove the green at the 245 yard par 4 before holing her put for an eagle 2. Despite being well behind, Whyte continued to battle, reducing the defecit by winning the 12th before Malcolm closed out the match by 7 & 5 at the following hole.

The GENTS CHAMPIONSHIP saw Ian Rankine making his first final appearance, against David Glass who was bidding for his 8th success in the event since 1987. A birdie 4 at the third gave Glass an early lead but Rankine squared the match at the next hole. The match remained tight through the turn, Glass holding a 1 hole lead after 9. Glas however took control of the match , winning successive holes from 12 to 14 to set up an eventual victory by 4 & 3.



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