SCOTTISH AREA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS - Ayrshire edge into matchplay stages

Ayrshire edged into the matchplay stages of the 2014 Scottish Area Team Championships on Friday 16 May over the Ranfurly Castle and Old Ranfurly courses in Bridge Of Weir, securing seventh place of the eight qualifiers.

With the best five of the six scores over each course counting towards the team total, Tommy McInally (71), Malcolm Pennycott (72), Keith Hamilton (73) and John Shanks (74) all counted over the par 70 Old Ranfurly course, along with one of the 75's returned by both Stuart Robin and Michael Smyth.

At Ranfurly Castle, also a par 70 course, Stuart Robin (72), Tommy McInally (73), John Shanks (75), Keith Hamilton (77) and Malcolm Pennycott (78) all counted with an 81 from Michael Smyth being discarded.

This gave Ayrshire a team total of 740, just ahead of the eighth and final qualifier from the 16 competing areas, North district.

The matchplay rounds begin on Saturday morning with one foursome and four singles, the winners progressing to the semi finals under the same format on Saturday afternoon.

In the first round of the matchplay, Ayrshire take on the second best qualifiers, Perth & Kinross.

The final on Sunday will consist of three morning foursomes and six afternoon singles matches.

Matches on Saturday 17th May will tee off as follows at Ranfurly Castle:-

0730 - Renfrewshire (1) Vs North (8)
0810 - Lothians (4) vs Glasgow (5)
0850 - Stirlingshire (3) vs Lanarkshire (6)
0930 - Perth & Kinross (2) vs Ayrshire (7)