AYRSHIRE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS - Graham stages dramatic comeback to secure final spot

James Graham (Doon Valley) staged a dramatic comeback on Friday 3rd August at Royal Troon to book his place in the final of the Ayrshire Champion Of Champions Trophy competition at the, expense of Euan Brown (Kilmarnock Barassie).

Graham, appearing in the latter stages of the competition for the first time, got off to a nervy start, bogeying the first four holes against pars by Euan Brown and finding himself four down.

A par three at the fifth was enough for Graham to reduce the defecit, only to lose the next hole to a birdie which restored Brown's four hole advantage.

Graham had settled into his game by this stage, and a birdie three at the sevent, followed by two successive pars left him only two down at the turn as Brown played the three holes in two over par.

Brown Incresed his lead to three again when a bogey five was enough to take the eleventh, but wayward shots at the following hole reduced his lead to two holes once more.
The players traded holes again at the thirteenth and fourteenth leaving Brown two ahead with four to play.

Whilst Brown was struggling to keep his drives straight from the tee, Graham settled into some fine play, hitting fairways and greens regularly.

James Graham (Doon Valley)

A wayward tee shot at the fifteenth from Brown led to his lead being reduced to one hole and when he missed the green from the tee at the par three seventeenth, whilst Graham found the green, Graham two putted for a par whilst Brown's par effort from around 20 feet narrowly missed then hole and the match was all square.

At the final hole, Graham found the fairway from the tee, as he had done for most of the inward half, whilst Brown saw his tee shot run into a fairway bunker on the left.

Playing first, Graham played a good shot to the front of the green, some 20 feet fron the hole.

Brown could only play out to the fairway from the bunket but followed with an excellent approach under pressure to within fifteen feet of the hole.

Putting first, Graham putted up to a few inches from the hole for a conceded par four, leaving Brown needing to hole his put to take the match to extra holes.

Despite a good effort, Brown saw his putt touch the edge of the hole but remain above ground, giving Graham a one hole victory and a place in the Champion Of Champions Trophy final.

In the final, James Graham will meet former Scotland internationalist Steven McEwan (Caprington).

Mcewan was due to meet Gordon Boyle (Ayr Belleisle) in the final, but due to a misunderstanding over the fixed dates of the semi finals and final of the competition, Boyle was unavailable to play on Friday 3rd August and consequently the semi final tie was conceded, with Steven Mcewan receiving a walkover.

The final will take place on Friday 10th August, again at Royal Troon, with a 5.00 p.m. tee off.