Irvine (Bogside) won the Ayrshire Club Championship event at Ballochmyle on Sunday 9th July, edging out the host club by virtue of the best 4th score in a tense finish.
With two scratch scores from three counting for the team score, Irvine (Bogside) set the early pace with Henry Thomson (71) Alex Gourlay (73) and Alastair McFarlane (73) combining for a 144 team total.
Despite having only two players present, Kilmarnock (Barassie) mounted the first challenge to Irvine, David Evans returning the equal best score of the day with 70 and Nicky Sinclair returning 76 to leave Barassie two adrift on 146.
Prestwick St. Cuthbert fell one short of Irvine's total, a number of bogeys over the closing four holes proving costly for Stephen McBlain (73), Kevin Fergusson (74) and David Glass (72) who returned a team total of 145.
The last four holes also proved costly for Loudoun with Tommy McInally (72), Sammy Cox (74) & John Graham (79) falling two short of the mark on 146.
With holders Prestwick St. Nicholas unable to ovetake Irvine, despite an equal best of the day 70 by Gavin Lawrie, the only team left in contention was the host club, Ballochmyle.
With Tommy Loy returning a 1 over par 71 for the first score, the remaining two Ballochmyle players required a two over par 72 or better to snatch the title from Irvine.
Jim McMurdo had the first opportunity, a birdie two at the 17th taking him back to 2 over par for the round. Needing a par at the last for 72, McMurdo narrowly missed the final green to the right with his approach, and was unable to chip and put for his par, taking three to get down for a closing bogey 6 and a three over par return of 73.
Despite his disappointment, McMurdo's score gave Ballochmyle a team total of 144, to match Irvine.
In the final match on the course, Dougie McKinnon also had a birdie two at the 17th to take him back to 2 over par for the round, but penalty shots incurred after driving out of bounds at the last cost him a triple bogey on the final hole for a round of 75.
The drama of the final two matches allowed Irvine to take the title by virtue of the best third score.
Final team positions were :-
144 - IRVINE (BOGSIDE) - H. Thomson (71) A. Gourlay (73) A. Mcfarlane (73)
144 - BALLOCHMYLE - T. Loy (71) J. McMurdo (73) D. McKinnon (75)
145 - PRESTWICK ST. CUTHBERT - D. Glass (72) S. McBlain (73) K. Fergusson (74)
146 - LOUDOUN - T. McInally (72) S. Cox (74) J. Graham (79)
146 - KILMARNOCK (BARASSIE) - D. Evans (70) N. Sinclair (76)
148 - PRESTWICK ST. NICHOLAS - G. Lawrie (70) A. Belford (78) G. Paterson (79)
151 - LARGS - J. Callaghan (75) B. Fisher (76) C. Kerr (78)
159 - TAM O SHANTER - J. Sloan (78) K. Russell (81) N. Tindall (N/R)
164 - NEW CUMNOCK - D. Bryson (78) T. Keddie (86) N. McCormack (N/R)
--- - IRVINE RAVENSPARK - J. Cairney (72) G. Robertson (Rtd. Inj.) D. Mallinson (N/R)
David Evans (Kilmarnock Barassie) took the award for the best score returned on the day, by virtue of the better inward half over Gavin Lawrie (St. Nicholas), with a level par 70.
CSS for the competition was 70 (+ 1)
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