SCOTTISH MEN'S AREA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS - Ayrshire team for finals weekend at Paisley announced

The 6 man Ayrshire team to contest the Scottish Men's Area Team Championship finals weekend, on the 9th and 10th of September at paisley Golf Club has been announced. 

The newly crowned Ayrshire Champion of Champions trophy winner Craig Hamilton (Ballochmyle) is joined in the team by the two leading players in the current Doc Thom Ayrshire Order of Merit standings, Blair Morton (Royal Troon) and Steven Stamper (Turnberry) as well as former Scotland internationalist Steven McEwan (Caprington), multiple Ayrshire Championship title winner Scott Brown (Turnberry) and John Shanks (Irvine) who has been a winner in the Scottish Men's Area team Championship on two previous occasions when representing Ayrshire.

The draw for the semi final line up, involving Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Fife and The Lothians, will take place on the evening of Friday the 8th of September with the semi finals , involving morning foursomes and afternoon singles, taking place on Saturday the 9th and the final on Sunday the 10th. 

AYRSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUES - Troon St Meddans capture Division 3 trophy

Troon St Meddans are the 2023 Ayrshire Scratch League Division 3 champions, following victory over Ardeer in the championship play off.

In the first leg of the play off, played on Sunday 27th of August, the Troon St Meddans side secured a 5-1 win at home to maintain their unbeaten record for the season.

In the second leg at Ardeer, played on Wednesday the 30th of August, the new Division 3 champions suffered their first defeat of the season, going down by 4 - 2 to their hosts, but crucially winning the two leg tie by 7 - 5 overall.

Along with the championship title Troon St Meddans will be promoted to Division 2 next season.

Despite the disappointment in losing out on the title this year, Ardeer still have a chance to gain promotion to Division 2 next season as they now go into a two leg play off with Troon Portland to see which of the two clubs will play in divisions 2 and 3 next season.

DOC THOM AYRSHIRE ORDER OF MERIT - Blair Morton leads with one event to go

Blair Morton (Royal Troon) is leading the field in the chase for the 2023 Ayrshire Order of Merit  and the Doc Thom salver, with only one counting event now remaining to be played. 

Fourth place in the 36 hole Viking Krus at Largs and a first place finish in the Troon St Meddans Open moved him clear at the top of the table, ahead of Steven Stamper (Turnberry) in second spot and Colin Goudie (Ayr Belleisle) in third place.

With just the 36 hole Arrol Cup at Prestwick St Nicholas to be played in September, the three current leaders and Harvey Broadfoot (Royal Troon) all still have a realistic chance of taking the 2023 order of merit crown. 

The current standings in the Ayrshire Order of Merit, for the Doc Thom Salver, are:-

342.5		BLAIR	MORTON	Royal Troon
255		STEVEN	STAMPER	Turnberry
240		COLIN	GOUDIE	Ayr Belleisle
228.75		HARVEY	BROADFOOT	Royal Troon
167.5		RUBEN	LINDSAY	Turnberry
163.75		GRAEME	GIMSON	Prestwick St. Cuthbert
150		JOHN	SHANKS	Irvine
147.5		AIDAN	LONG	Ayr Belleisle
137.5		STEVEN	McEWAN	Caprington
126.25		HARVEY	McDONALD	Turnberry
121.25		SCOTT	BROWN	Turnberry
120		GAVIN	CHESNEY	Kilbirnie Place
110		PAUL	MOULTRIE	Royal Troon
101.25		ALAN	McLEAN	Largs
100		KEVIN	THOMAS	Prestwick St. Cuthbert
100		SHAUN	HEDGER	West Kilbride
100		JACK	BROUN	Turnberry
85		JAMIE	MURCHIE	Largs
77.5		CRAIG	CHALMERS	Western Gailes
77.5		SEAN	ADDIE	Kilmarnock Barassie
72.5		JASON	BUTLER	Troon St Meddans
62.5		JOHN	ROBERTSON	Largs
60		JACK	PURDIE	Largs
60		BARRY	O'ROURKE	Caprington
60		IAIN	BROWN	West Kilbride
55		JOHN	HAGGARTY	Loudoun
55		GREG	CATHIE	Irvine
40		MARK	WATT	Prestwick St. Cuthbert
40		RYAN	MORRISON	Ayr Seafield
40		SCOTT	HANNAH	Prestwick St Cuthbert
40		JOE	GILLIGAN	Troon Portland
40		BRIAN	FISHER	Largs
40		LOUIS	ALBERTS	Troon St Meddans
40		SCOTT	AINSWORTH	Ardeer
40		ALAN	CONNOR	Turnberry
38.33		CAMERON	GRAY	West Kilbride
37.5		FRASER	INNES	Largs
30		ELLIOT	MASTERSON	Ayr Belleisle
30		LEWIS	HIGGINS	Ardeer
30		KIERAN	CLARK	Prestwick St Cuthbert
25		EUAN	McKENZIE	Royal Troon
22.5		BEN	GIBSON	Kilmarnock Barassie
20		DYLAN	SCALLY	Ardeer
20		GREG	NICHOL	Tr. St Meddans
20		NICHOLAS	GOLD	Troon St. Meddans
20		ANDREW	GIBSON	Caprington
20		CAMERON	AITKEN	Largs
12.5		MAX	BARCLAY	Turnberry
11.25		GEORGE	ROBERTSON	Irvine
11.25		CAMERON	AITKEN	Largs
11.25		RORY	ACHESON	Routenburn
10		JOHN	SMITH	Rowallan Castle
10		JAMES	McINTYRE	Redburn
10		STEVEN	McCREADIE	Ayr Belleisle
10		SAM	FINDLATER	Braehead
10		MICHAEL	CRICHTON	Ayr Seafield