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Thursday, April 12, 2012

SCOTTISH BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP - Black Thursday as Ayrshire challenge ends in round 4

Ayrshire's hopes of returning the 2012 Scottish Boys Champion ended at Murcar Links on Thursday morning when the three remaining Ayrshire players in the competition bowed out in round four.

Jack Thomas (Irvine) faced Craig Howie (Peebles) on Thursday morning and was up against it early on, falling three behind after 8 holes. Thomas however staged a fightback and won the 15th hole to go one ahead for the first time in the match. Unfortunately, two bogeys over the last three holes opened the door again for Howie, who came through to win by one hole on the final green and end Thomas' hopes of a place in the last 16.

Blair Gavin (Kilmarnock Barassie) had an uphill battle from early on in his fourth round match with Ewan Scott (St Andrews), falling three behind after four holes. A par at the fifth hole was enought to reduce the defecit for Gavin but he then lost a run of four succesive holes from the 6th to the ninth to turn for home six down. A win at the 10th hole reduced the defecit to five but pars from Scott at the 12th and 13th holes were sufficient to win both and inflict a 7&5 defeat on Blair Gavin.

The last hope for an Ayrshire representation in the last 16 lay with defending champion David Wlson (Troon Welbeck) who was up against Ryan Walsh (Kirkcaldy) in the last 32. A close match early on, Wilson lost the sixth to par and the seventh to a birdie three to go two behind in the match after seven holes. Things got progressiveny worse for the holder when he lost the tenth to a birdie three and the eleventh to a par four to go four behind in the match. Wilson stopped the decline at the 12th with a birdie two and reduced the defecit further by winning the 13th after both players found trouble. Having fought back to two down with five to play, Wilson's recovery stalled when a bogey 6 at the 14th hole saw him go three behind again. Wilson remained three down with three to play but another birdie two at the 16th reduced the defecit once more, although this only delayed the end, a half in fours at the 17th hole giving Walsh a 2&1 victory and ending David Wilson's reign as Scottish Boys Champion.

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