SCOTTISH BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP - Finlay Watt carries Ayrshire hopes into the last 16

Finlay Watt (West Kilbride) carries Ayrshire hopes into the last 16 of the 2025 Scottish Boys' Championship, being played from the 16th to the 20th of July over the Lansdowne course at Blairgowrie Golf Club.

The 36 holes strokeplay qualifying played on the Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th was jointly led by Fraser Walters (Blairgowrie) and Ollie Blackadder (Deeside) with a two round total of 137, 7 under par.

Best placed for Ayrshire was Finlay Watt (West Kilbride) in joint 28th place on 146, 2 over par, after rounds of 75 and 71.

Aidan Hay (Irvine) and Gregor Hay (Ayr Belleisle) were joint 35th on 149, 5 over par, after rounds of 77 & 72, and 74 & 75 respectively.

The other Ayrshire qualifier for the matchplay stages was Jenson Fergusson (Royal Troon) who was joint 47th on 151, 7 over par, after rounds of 76 & 75.

Two other players narrowly missed out on matchplay quialification by a single shot, Archie Baker (Prestwick St Nicholas) and Ryan Steven (Ayr Belleisle) both finishing on 155, 11 over par, returning rounds of 78 & 77, and 77 & 78 respectively.

The other Ayrshire scores in the strokeplay qualifying rounds were:-

156 (+12) Jake Hendry (West Kilbride) 76/80

159 (+15) Euan Forrest (Turnberry) 76/83

161 (+17) Harris Vennard (Ayr Belleisle) 80/81, Oliver Kane (Royal Troon) 78/83

162 (+18) Lyle Vogwell (West Kilbride) 79/83

163 (+19) Thomas Carlyle (Turnberry) 79/84

170 (+26) Fraser Ritchie (Troon Welbeck) 82/88

The leading players progressed to the matchplay knockout stages, to be played from Friday the 18th to Sunday the 20th over the Lansdowne course.

As luck would have it the first round of matchplay on the Friday morning  paired Finlay Watt and Gregor Hay, with Finlay progressing to round two with a 3&1 victory.

The other two Ayrshire qualifiers both bowed out in close matches in round one, Jenson Fergusson losing by a single hole to Nathan Tait (Aberdour), and Aidan Hay losing out on the first extra hole to Daniel Noble (Banchory).

In the afternoon Finlay Watt faced Jamie Reid (Carnoustie Caledonia) and repeated his morning winning margin of 3&1 to progress to the last 16 of the competition.

On Saturday morning, the 19th of July, Finlay Watt will play Oliver Robertson (Deeside) for a place in Friday afternoon's quarter finals.