The 2006 Ayrshire Boys Matchplay trophy final will be an all Kilmarnock Barassie affair after the semi finals were played on Friday night, 11th August, and David Currie won through to play Kyle Smith.
In the first semi final, David Currie ended Ardeers John Shanks' hopes of becoming the first player to take both the strokeplay and matchplay titles in the same year. The match was all sqaure at the turn but Shanks took the 10th & 11th for a two hole advantage. Currie reduced the defecit at the 12th and squared the match with a birdie at the 14th. Another winning birdie at the 16th gave Currie a one hole advantage with two to play, and he closed out the tie by winning the 17th for a 2 & 1 victory.
In the second semi final, Kyle Smith faced clubmate and former boys strokeplay champion Jamie Mackay. Neither player forged a clear advantage in the opening half, and the match remained all square at the turn. The match remained close throughout the inward 9, with never more than one hole between the players. At the 16th, Mackay chipped to a foot in 2, to set up a winning birdie and a one hole lead. Smith was fortunate that a bold approach bounced back from the rough onto the fringe at the 17th, but took full advantage to par the hole and level the match.
Smith looked favourite at the final hole, hitting his second to within a foot for a conceded birdie, but Mackay showed his mettle, holing from 20 feet for birdie to take the match into extra holes.
With the first into an unusual north wind, the challenge in extra holes was a stiff one. Both players found the fairway from the tee, but whilst Mackay pulled his approach wide of the green on the left, Smith enjoyed more good fortune, with his approach hitting the boundary wall and bouncing back onto the green. Smith two putted for par, and when Mackay was unable to get up and down from off the green, Smith won the first extra hole and a place in the final.
The final will be held at Prestwick Golf Club on Saturday 12th August, teeing off at 1430 hrs.
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