SCOTTISH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP - Brown is lone Ayrshire hope in last 16

The Ayrshire challenge for the 2011 Scottish anmateur Championship title at Western Gailes this week was decimated in the fourth round on Thursday morning with only Scott Brown (Turnberry) winning throuh to the last 16 out of the seven players Ayrshire had left in the championship

Ayrshire matchplay champion Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) lost by 2 & 1 to Scott Gibson (Southerness), Marc Smith (Troon Welbeck) was beaten 2 & 1 by Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) whilst Kenneth McKaskill (Turnberry Staff) went down by 5 & 3 to former champion David law (Hazelhead).

Scotland boys international Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) lost by two holes to Paul Alexander (Caldwell), former champion Allan Thomson (Ayr Belleisle) was defeated 3 & 1 by Greg Richards (Kingsknowe) whilst John Shanks (Irvine) lost out 2 & 1 to Scotland internationalist and second seed James Byrne (Banchory).

Scott Brown

It was left to Scott Brown to keep the Ayrshire hopes alive and he did so in dramatic fashion, winning through in the longest match of the week at the fifth extra hole against new Scotland Boys cap eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen).

Brown was never behind in his match, forging a two hole lead by the turn and extending the lead to three holes with three to play. His opponent, who was named this week in the Scotland boys team for the forthcoming Home Internationals, took advantage of a pair of bogey fives by Brown to take the match to the final hole before holing a 50 foot putt for a birdie three to take the match into extra holes.

The first four extra holes were halved in pars before Scott Brown's opponent got into trouuble at the fifth extra hole, forcing a concession of the match to the Ayrshire player.

In the last 16, Scott Brown faces number two seed James Byrne (Banchory) on Thursday afternoon for a place in the quarter finals.