Stephen Murray (Troon Welbeck) - pictured right - is the 2007 Ayrshire Matchplay Champion after he defeated clubmate Ross Milligan by 5 & 3 in the final at Irvine (Bogside) Golf Club on Thursday 10th May.In the match, played in fine conditions with a light prevailing breeze from the south west, both players had a nervy start.
Murray conceded the first hole to Milligan after losing his opening tee shot in rough on the right but immediately squared the match with a birdie four at the second, getting up and down from a greenside bunker whilst his opponent could only manage a par at best, after finding trouble from the tee.
After the third was halved in par, Murray took the next two holes as Milligan found trouble from the tee at both holes. Milligan reduced the defecit to one at the 6th when he was conceded a birdie three after Murray found a gorse bush with his tee shot and had to take a penalty drop.
Both players began to settle into some good golf by the 7th, Milligan hitting his approach to 3 feet and holing for birdie to square the match, after Murray had just missed with his birdie effort.
Despite losing his two hole lead, Murray showed his fighting qualities at the 8th, putting his tee shot to 6 fee before holing out for a birdie two. Murray pressed home his advantage over the next three holes, playing some fine iron approach shots to put his opponent under pressure. Milligan struggled a little around the turn, missing greens with approach shots and failing to recover for pars, which led to Murray taking the 9th, 10th and 11th holes to increaase his lead to 4 up.
Milligan stopped the onslaught temporarily at the 12th, halving th hole in par, but a loose approach shot at the 13th, after Murray had again safely made the green in regulation, lost Milligan another hole and Murray was five ahead with five holes remaining.
At the 14th, both players found the green in two. Milligan putted first and just failed with his birdie effort. Needing two putts for the match from 25 feet, Murray was a little bold with his first effort, which ran a couple of feet past the hole. Murray still had the opportunity to close out Milligan but his par putt hit the back of the hole and spun out, giving Milligan the hole.
At the 337 yard 15th, which proved to be the final hole of the match, both players drove to within 30 yards of the green. Milligan played first and was a little bold with his chip which pulled up 12 feet past the hole. Murray's chip to the green was a little closer than Milligan's but when Milligan just failed to hole his birdie effort, he graciously picked up Murrays marker, conceding a 5 & 3 victory to his Welbeck clubmate.
At the conclusion of the final, which was played in a friendly and sporting manner, Ayrshire Golf Association President Ricky Magee (Caprington), along with Irvine Golf Club Captain, Jim Irvine, paid tribute to both finalists before Jim Irvine presented vouchers to the semi finalists and both finalists and handed the Ayrshire Matchplay Trophy to the 2007 Winner Stephen Murray
L-R :- Jim Irvine (Irvine G.C. Captain), Stephen Murray, Ross Milligan, AGA President Ricky Magee
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