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Friday, August 10, 2007

AYRSHIRE BOYS MATCHPLAY - Foley Vs. Pennycott in Saturdays final


Adam Foley (Ayr Belleisle) and Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay) will meet on Saturday 11th August, at Prestwick Golf Club, in the final of the 2007 Ayrshire Boys Matchplay Championship, after they won through from the semi final matches played on Friday evening.

In the first semi final Adam Foley played the new Ayrshire Boys Champion Euan Brown (Kilmarnock Barassie) - pictured right - who was bidding to be the first player to win both trophies in the same year.

Brown got off to the perfect start, winning the first two holes and extending his lead to three holes after 5. Foley recovered well from his slow start and took successive holes from the 6th to square the match after 8.

Turning for home all square, Foley went ahead for the first time when he won the 10th but Brown levelled the match once again with a birdie at the par five 12th.

Willie Campbells Grave, the fairway bunker between the 13th and 16th holes claimed another victim when Brown drove into the trap on his way to losing the hole, which restored Foley's one hole advantage.

Foley struck a decisive blow by taking the 15th after brown saw his putt for par lip out, and Foley went two ahead with three to play.

Foley's tee shot at the 16th was just short of the green whilst Brown went right and found a grass lie in the cardinal bunker.

Like the great James Braid did before him, in the Open Championship of 1908, Brown fell victim to the sleepered face of The cardinal bunker. After seeing his next two shots rebound from the sleepers, Brown conceded the hole and a 3 & 2 victory to Foley.


The second semi final featured Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay) and Colin Robinson (Millport) - pictured right.

In a match where there was never more than one hole in it, until the 17th, Robinson had the best of the opening half, turning for home with a one hole advantage.

Pennycott, currently the leader of the Ayrshire Junior Order Of Merit, squared the match at the 10th hole and edged ahead when he won the 13th.

A superb second shot to the treacherous 15th green, which came to rest 4 feet from the hole, allowed Robinson to square the match again, but Pennycott again restored his lead in spectacular fashion at the 16th. Whilst Robinson had driven through the 16th green and into a shallow bunker, Pennycott missed the green on the right and caught the Cardinal bunker.

Whilst Robinson was unable to get up and down, Pennycott produced a superb shot fron the cavernous Cardinal which pulled up only 5 feet from the hole. Pennycott completed the job by holing the putt for a superb birdie three.

A poor tee shot, pulled left, at the 17th proved costly for Robinson when he required a penalty drop from an unplayable lie. Pennycott subsequently completed the hole in one less than his opponent for a 2 & 1 victory and a place in the final.

The final match, on Saturday 11th August, will tee off at 4.00 p.m.

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