The handful of hardy spectators who followed the final match throughout were treated to an excellent final which enhanced Prestwick's reputation as a premier matchplay venue.
Pennycott took an early lead at the first when Foley three putted for a bogey five, and the next three hoes were halved in pars before Pennycott increased his lead with a par three at the fifth, after both players missed the green from the tee.
When Pennycott missed his approach to the 6th green on the right, Foley grasped the opportunity to reduce the defecit, holing from 35 feet for a birdie three.
Pennycott restored his two hole lead with a par at the seventh, when Foley could only make bogey after missing the green with his approach, and Pennycott's lead was further increased at the eighth, in the worst of the rain, when he holed a twisting put from 20 feet for a birdie three.
The ninth was halved, and the players turned for home with Pennycott returning excellent figures of level par 35 for a three hole advantage.
At the 10th hole, Pennycott found trouble in the rough on the left and could manage no better than a double bogey 6, which allowed Foley to reduce the defecit to two holes once again.
The trials of the tenth seemed to sting Pennycott ack into action and with successive birdies at the 11th and 12th, Pennycott increased his lead to four holes with six to play.
Foley had an opportunity to reduce the defecit again at the 13th, but his 3 foot putt for the hole lipped out, leaving him four behind with five to play.
Pennycott gave Foley a little hope, a three putt at the 14th letting his opponent reduce the defecit to three holes, but as the players entered the famous loop of closing holes at Prestwick, Pennycott was still clear favourite.
The final four holes at Prestwick are widely regarded as one of the finest and most unpredictable closing holes in matchplay golf, and so it was again to prove during this final.
With the 15th hole halved in Par, Pennycott remained three ahead with three to play, but Foley produced a magnificent tee shot at the 288 yard, par four, 16th which came to rest in the centre of the green. Pennycott missed the green of the right from the tee and like his semi final match found himself in the Cardinal bunker. Despite a fine effort, Pennycott could not reproduce the shot that led to a birdie in the semi final, and a bogey five from Pennycott elicited a conceded birdie three for Foley.
At the penultimate hole, Foley played a superb iron for his second shot which soared over The Alps and came to rest only 10 feet from the hole. Penycott's approach fell short and into the bunker and despite an excellent bunker shot, he could score no better than a bogey five, giving Foley two putts for the hole, which he duly took.
Both players missed the fairway from the tee at the 18th, Foley in the rough on the right and Pennycott bunkered on the left, but both played fine approach shots to reach the front quarter of the green.
Pennycott putted first and saw his effort pull up two and a half feet short of the hole.
Despite a good line, Foley also saw his effort pull up short. Foley holed his fianl putt for a par, leaving Pennycott facing a nerve jangling two and a half footer for a one hole win and the title.
To his credit, and despite the pressure on him from his opponents fightback, Pennycott bravely holed the putt to win by one hole.
The Captain of Prestwick Golf Club, Donald Turner, presented prizes to both players at the conclusion of the the final.
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