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| 2011 Ayrshire Boys Champion Callum Beveridge |
A capacity field contested the event in changeable weather conditions, with all competitors experiencing rain at times during their morning round.
In a day of excellent scoring, the outstanding morning rounds belonged to Beveridge and Macneal who both negotiated the course in four under par 65, which proved to be five under the CSS of 70 for the morning round.
Macneal was out in two under par 33 in the morning, with birdies at the 3rd, 6th and 8th and a bogey five at the difficult 7th hole and came back in two under, with birdies at the 11th, 13th, 15th and 17th being offset with bogeys at the par three 12th and the par four 16th.
Birdies at the 4th and 9th with a bogey five at the 7th saw Beveridge out in one under par 34, but with birdies at the 12th, 13th, 15th and 17th and a single bogey at the 14th on the way back, Beveridge edged the claim of the best opening round by virtue ofn the better inward half.
This could prove crucial as the first round of the championship this year was designated a qualifying event for the 2011 Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship in association with The Telegraph and resulted in Callum Beveridge's name and 5 under CSS score going forward for a possible place in the national final of the competition.
Other notable scores in the opening round included one over par scratch scores of 70 posted by Stuart Easton (Irvine) and John Montgomery (West Kilbride) who play off 5 & 6 respectively.
With the weather improving in the afternoon and the course in excellent condition, no less than five players returned second round scratch scores of level par or better, with the best being a two under par 67 from Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie).
Playing two matches in front of his closest rival, defending champion Charlie macneal, callum Beveridge maintained his good form into his afternoon round.
A steady outward nine saw Beveridge to the turn in one over par 36, with just a single bogey at the 6th and eight pars on his card. Beveridge started back in perfect fashion with a birdie twos at the 10th and 12th and a further birdie at the 13th before dropping his only shot on the back nine at the final hole, with a bogey four, to give him a second round score of 68.
Beveridge's five under par total of 133 set a testing target for defending champion Macneal to overcome, but the holder was determined to hold onto his title.
Despite a double bogey sixes at the 1st and 4th in the afternoon, Macneal rallied with birdies at the 6th and 7th to salvage a two over par total of 37 to the turn. In a flawless inward nine, Macneal had no worse than par and with birdies at the 11th, 14th and 17th he came home in a superb score of 31 for a scratch 68 and a tie for the lead with Beveridge.
Although there were some excellent scores returned from some of the remaining competitors, none could seriously challenge the score of Macneal and Beveridge and the championship was destined to be decided by the first play off since 2002.
The first play off hole, the 342 yard par four first hole, saw both players safely in the fairway from the tee, with Beveridge some 20 yards behind Macneal. Playing first, Beveridge hit an excellent approach into a stiffening breeze, which came to rest on the front of the green some 20 feet from the hole, whilst Macneal saw his approach drift left of the green. Macneal chipped up to around five feet from the hole, but whilst Beveridge holed and excellent putt for a birdie three, Macneal saw his par putt clip the edge of the hole but remain above ground.
at the second hole of the play off, the 172 yard par three second, Beveridge's ball came to rest on the right apron of the green, short of the ridge that crosses the green, whilst macneal made the putting surface with his tree shot, although his ball also came to rest short of the ridge. Beveridge was bold with his approach, leaving him with an eight foot putt to salvage par, whilst macneal putted up to within two feet of the hole with his second shot.
Despite a tricky downhill slope to negotiate, Beveridge bravely holed his par put, which was followed in by macneal, and the players made their waty to the third and final play off hole with Beveridge remaining two shots ahead.
The final play off hole was the difficult 379 yard par four 16th hole. Playing first, beveridge hit his tee shot into light rough to the left side whilst Macneal's iron shot from the tee came to rest in perfect position in the centre of the fairway. Playing first, Macneal kept the pressure on by hitting a good approach to within twenty feet of the hole.
Despite a difficult lie in the rough, Beveridge played a confident and well executed approach safely to the centre of the green, just outside Macneal's ball. Putting first, Beveridge saw his birdie effort hit the hole and spin out to a couple of inches past the cup, which he duly holes for his par four and a one under par total for the three play off holes. Unable to influence the result at this stage, Macneal completed the formalities by two putting for a par four, and a one over par total for the play off holes, before graciously extending warm congratualtions to his successor as Boys Champion, callum Beveridge.
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| Callum Beveridge receives the trophy from AGA President David Miller |
PRIZEWINNERS
Ayrshire Boys Champion - Callum Beveridge (Troon Welbeck) 65 - 68 = 133
(won after 3 hole play off)
Runner Up - Charlie Macneal (Troon Welbeck) 65 - 68 = 133
3rd Scratch - Stuart Easton (Irvine) 70 - 68 = 138
4th Scratch - Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) 76 - 67 = 153 (best 2nd round)
5th Scratch - Greg Vernon (Annanhill) 74 - 69 = 153 (best 2nd round)
1st Nett - John Montgomery (West KIlbride) (6) 64 - 67 = 131
2nd Nett - Chris Hobson (Irvine) (5) 71 - 66 = 137
3rd Nett - Robbie Blackwood (Kilmarnock Barassie) (6) 71 - 67 = 138
SSS = 69 CSS (Morning) = 70 CSS (Afternoon) = 69
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