AYRSHIRE BOYS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP - Host clubs take the honours at Largs

Largs Golf Club (pictured above) are the 2008 Ayrshire Boys Team Champions.

The host club saw of the challenge of 16 other Ayrshire Clubs over the Kelburn course on Sunday 13 April to claim the Matt Lygate Trophy and the title of Ayrshire Boys Team Champions.

In a day which saw good weather, with a stiff breeze, the slick greens at Kelburn proved testing for many of the competitors and no doubt contributed to the rise in the C.S.S to 73 (+ 2).

The Largs team of David McLellan, Josh Nordbo, Andrew Abercrombie and Colin Robinson combined for a team total of 228, to give them a five shot wining margin, ahead of Troon Welbeck.

In the handicap team event, the competition for the Andrew D. Nimmo trophy was extremely close, with Troon Welbeck and Prestwick St. Cuthbert locked together on 220. With both teams fourth score being the same, the Troon Welbeck team of Charles Doyle, David Wilson, Sam Findlater and Marc Smith (pictured below) were declared the winner by virtue of a 157.5 - 160.0 countback over the inward halves of the four individual scores.

With Troon Welbeck winning the handicap title, second scratch went to the Kilmarnock Barassie team of Kyle Smith, Andrew Wright, Ross Drain and Neil Hamilton on 236.

In the individual competition, the Prestwick Circuits Trophy for the best scratch score of the day went to 2 handicapper Andrew Abercrombie (Largs) - pictured right - with a level par round of 70, whilst the Carrick Trophy for the best nett score of the competition was won by Colin Robinson (Largs) - pictured below - with 71 - 3 = 68.

In the two handicap classes, Sam Findlater (Troon Welbeck) took the prize for the 0-9 handicap category with 74 - 5 = 69 whilst Robbie McFarlane (Caprington) won the 10 to 18 handicap section with 82 - 12 = 70.

At the conclusion of the event, Ayrshire Golf Association President Ricky Magee (Caprington) presented the prizes and trophies to the succesful teams and individuals.

Final scratch team placings were:-

228 - Largs

233 - Troon Welbeck

236 - Kilmarnock (Barassie)

240 - Ayr Belleisle

247 - Prestwick St. Cuthbert

249 - West Kilbride

251 - Kilbirnie Place

258 - Ballochmyle

263 - Royal Troon

265 - Loudoun

267 - Irvine Ravenspark

267 - Caprington

274 - Prestwick St. Nicholas

277 - Annanhill

282 - Ardeer

285 - New Cumnock

289 - Troon St. Meddans

As a result of the Championship placings, the qualifying sections for the 2008 Ayrshire Junior Golf League Wallace Thornton Trophy will be :-

SECTION A - Largs, Kilmarnock Barassie, Prestwick St. Cuthbert, Kilbirnie Place & Loudoun

SECTION B - Troon Welbeck, Ayr Belleisle, West Kilbride, Ballochmyle and Irvine Ravenspark.