AYRSHIRE BOYS MATCHPLAY - Brown makes it a double

Scott Brown (Turnberry) became only the second player to win both the Ayrshire Boys Championship and Matchplay title in the same year, when he beat Marc Smith (Kilmarnock Barassie) by 4 & 3 in the matchplay final at Prestwick Golf Club on Saturday 16th August.

Having won the Boys Championship a week ago at Ayr Belleisle, Brown started the week hoping to match the record of former Scottish Amateur Champion Hugh McKibbin (Caprington) who won both titles in 1990, and with comfortable wins in the first two rounds, found himself facing fellow Ayrshire county player Marc Smith in what proved to be an outstanding final.

Scott Brown won the first hole with a par four which gave no indication of the quality of play that was soon to follow. At the second, Marc Smith rolled in a 25 foot put for a birdie two, only to see Scott Brown hole from a similar distance for a half.
The par 5 third hole was also halved in birdies and Scott Brown extended his lead with a birdie three at the fourth hole.

Marc Smith reduced the defecit to one at the fifth, with a winning par three and the following three holes were halved before Scott brown increased his lead to two holes at the turn with a winning par at the ninth, to be out in one under par.

A magnificent approach shot to the 10th prompted a conceded birdie three from Marc Smith, and Scott Brown's lead was increased to three holes.

At the 11th, Marc Smith almost holed in one, his ball lipping the hole and striking the pin before spinning away. His birdie two however was sufficient to reduce the defecit to two.

A par 5 at the 12th was good enough to restore Scott brown's three hole lead and with the next two holes halved in pars, time was running out for Marc Smith.

At the 15th, Scott Brown secured the matchplay title with another birdie three for a 4 & 3 win. To the credit of both players, Scott Brown covered the 15 holes played in three under par and both players negotiated the 15 holes in around 2 hours and 20 minutes.


At the conclusion of the final, prizes were presented to both finalists by Prestwick Golf Club Secretary, Ian Bunch.