AYRSHIRE BOY'S MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP - First round matches completed in perfect weather at Prestwick

The first round matches in the 2025 Ayrshire Boy's Matchplay Championship were completed in perfect weather on the evening of Tuesday the 12th of August.

Wit the course in excellent condition, the matches produced some excellent golf and some very tight contests.

The first match out was the tie between the new Ayrshire Boy's Strokeplay Champion Findlay Andrew (Turnberry) and eighth qualifier Archie Baker (Prestwick St Cuthbert). Archie produces some excellent putting and short game skills throughout the match and by the turn held a single hole lead in a top class encounter that produces 11 birdies between the two players. 

With the match close throughout it was no surprise when the players halved the final hole in pars after both playing fine approaches but just missing their respective birdie putts, that the tie proceeded to extra holes after remaining level after eighteen. At the first extra hole both players had good pars and they moved to the second extra hole, the 20th of the match. At the short par three Findlay found the green from the tee but Archie pulled his tee shot which finished in a difficult lie in heather, on a mound to the left of the green. Despite the difficulties, Archie played an excellent approach to within eight feet of the hole, but when Findlay succesfully two putted for his par three, Archie's par putt to exxtend the match further slipped aggonisingly past the left lip and it was Findlay Andrew that progressed to the semi finals.

Second out was Oliver Kane (Royal Troon) against Jake Hendry (West Kilbride).

Jake has has produced some fine golf in recent weeks, which saw him reach the final of the West of Scotland Boy's Matchplay Championship, and he continued in that vein over the opening nine of his tie on Tuesday evening, forging a four hole lead by the turn. Despite his best efforts Oliver couldn't stem the tide and in the event Jake Hendry raced to a 7 & 6 win to book a semi final encounter with Findlay Andrew on Wednesday evening.

The third tie of the night paired Euan Forrest (Turnberry) and Mason Chisholm (Irvine).

Euan had the best of the outward half and as the players turned for home after ninie hole Euan held a three hole lead. Despite the defecit Mason fought back and reduced the defecit to two holes on the inward nine but after fifteen holes Euan had re-established his three hole lead and closed out the match by winning the sixteenth for a 4 & 2 victory.

The final tie of the evening paired Harris Vennard (Ayr Belleisle) and Ethan McMurdo (Prestwick St Nicholas). 

Like the tie between Findlay Andrew and Archie Baker, this tie proved to be very close throughout the contest with Harris holding a single hole advantage at the turn. There was still one hole advantage to Harris at the seventeenth but facing a long second shot from short of the hogs back in the fairway, Harris' ball finished in the Saharah bunker while Ethan succesfully found the green in two. Despite a fine bunker shot by Harris, he could only manage a bogey five and Ethan succesfully secured a winning par to square the match.

Like the opening tie of the evening, the players matchesd each other at the final hole and proceeded to extra holes.  

At the first extra hole Ethan's tee shot was perfect in the centre of the fairway but Harris was unfortunate to find rough on a mound to the left of the fairway, and could only progress his second shot back out onto a playable lie. Ethan found the green succesfully in two, as did Harris in three, and two putts from Ethan for his par left Harris needing to hole from fifteen feet to prolong the tie. Despite a good putt Harris' effort remained above ground and it was Ethan McMurdo that progressed to a semi final encounter with Euan Forrest on Wednesday evening.

Both semi finals are shceduled to take place at Prestwick Golf Club on Wednesday the 13th of August from 4.45 p.m.