ALL THE LATEST NEWS ON AMATEUR GOLF IN AYRSHIRE

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

SCOTTISH DISABILITY GOLF - Scotland call up for John Pennycott as Billy Cairns wins at Lundin Links

Ayrshire players had cause to celebrate after the latest Scottish Disability Golf Partnership's Order Of Merit fixture at Lundin Golf Club on Wednesday 20th August.

53 year old Billy Cairns, who only joined the association this year, won the competition on the day, whilst John Pennycott (Whiting Bay) was named in the Scotland team to contest The Auld Enemies Cup against England from 13th to 18th September at The Shire Golf Club in London.

(Report from the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership website at http://www.sdgp.org.uk/)

Disabled golfers from across Scotland travelled to the prestigious Lundin Golf Club in Fife on Wednesday 20th August 2014 to participate in the final team qualifier for Scottish Disability Golf’s Order of Merit Championship 2014. 

Winners from the day, along with other selected Scots golfers, were competing for places for the fourth Auld Enemies Cup Team against England from Saturday 13 to Thursday 18 September, at the Shire Golf Club in London.

WOMAN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS - Alex Glennie named in Senior's team

Alex Glennie
Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie) has been named as one of the seven strong Scotland team who will contest the Woman's Senior's Home Internationals from September 30th to October 2nd 2014 at Huddersfield Golf Club in England.

The full Scotland team, under Team Captain Anna Telfer, is :-
 
Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch)
Fiona deVries (St Rule)
Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie)
Lesley Lloyd (Hayston)
Anne Ryan (Tain)
Mary Smith(Tain)
Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies)

AYRSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUES - West Kilbride hopes dashed with final match defeat as Prestwick St Cuthbert top Division 2 table

West Kilbride's hopes of the Division 2 title in the Ayrshire Scratch Leagues were dashed last week when they suffered a final match defeat by 4 - 2 away to Ardeer, whilst Prestwick St Cuthbert recorded an emphatic 5.5 - 0.5 win away to Caprington to move to the top of the table.

With only three matches remaining in DIVISION 2, Prestwick St Cuthbert face a final match showdown with Ayr Belleisle. A win for the St Cuthbert team would give them the Division 2 title, whilst Ayr Belleisle will be looking for results from both their remaining matches, away to Prestwick St Cuthbert and Ardeer, to snatch the title from St Cuthbert.

Present positions in Division 2 are :-

  
Played
For
Against
Points
Prestwick St Cuthbert
9
35
19
24
Ayr Belleisle
8
31
17
20
West Kilbride
10
32.5
27.5
20
Girvan
10
26
34
18
Caprington
9
19.5
34.5
14
Ardeer
8
18
30
12

Remaining matches :-
Prestwick St Cuthbert Vs Ayr Belleisle            
Ardeer Vs Ayr Belleisle      
Ardeer Vs Caprington

In DIVISION 4 last week, tam O Shanter maintained their challenge with a narrow 3.5 - 2.5 home win over Rowallan Castle.
Present positions in Division 4 are :-

Played
For
Against
Points
Troon St Meddans
7
25
17
20
Tam O Shanter
6
18
18
14
Doon Valley
5
14.5
15.5
8
Ayr Dalmilling
4
10.5
13.5
6
Rowallan Castle
4
10
14
4

Remaining matches :-
Ayr Dalmilling Vs Tam O Shanter      
Rowallan Castle    Vs Doon Valley    
Rowallan Castle    Vs Tam O Shanter               
Ayr Dalmilling Vs Rowallan Castle     
Rowallan Castle Vs Ayr Dalmilling     
Doon Valley Vs Ayr Dalmilling           
Doon Valley Vs Troon St Meddans   


Sunday, August 24, 2014

AYRSHIRE FOURBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - Abbotsford meet Brunston Castle in the final

David & George McCulloch
With the fourball trophy
after their win in 2012
The final of the 2014 Ayrshire Fourball Championship will be between Robert Adams & Iain Pirrie (Abbotsford) and David & George McCulloch (Brunston Castle).

The McCulloch brothers, winners of the title in 2012, are bidding to become the first pair to win the championship on two occasions, following their 2 & 1 semi final win at Beith which was coincidentally against the pairing of Robert Marshall & Phil Rooney (Beith) whom they beat in the final in 2012.

The date and venue of the final are still to be confirmed.

Friday, August 22, 2014

AYRSHIRE JUNIOR ORDER OF MERIT - Final placings



With the completion of the Ayrshire Matchplay Championship this week, the final placings in the 2014 Ayrshire Junior order Of merit have been confirmed. 

Jack Thomas (Irvine) was the runaway winner of the 2014 title, which concludes an outstanding season for the 17 year old, who now holds a hat trick of county titles from this season, with the Order Of merit, Boys Strokeplay and Boys Matchplay titles.

Murray McCrone (Troon Welbeck) was clear runner up in the order Of Merit, following his final defeat to Thomas in the Boys matchplay Championship this week.

The 2013 Jumior Order Of Merit winner Connor Mckay (Loudoun) put up a spirited defence of his title, finishing in third place overall this season, under 30 points ahead of four other players.

2014 title winner
Jack Thomas
The final Junior Order Of Merit placings for 2014 are :-

 
816.67Jack THOMASIrvine
301.67Murray McCRONETroon Welbeck
187.5Connor McKAYLoudoun
186.67 Blair WALLACE Kil. Barassie
177.5 Jordan FRASER Ayr Belleisle
169.17 Euan FERGUSON Turnberry
161.67 Jack BROUN Ayr Belleisle
125 Craig McKENZIE Troon Welbeck
117.5 Aiden DORE Loudoun
100 Stuart EASTON Irvine
100 Graeme GREER Pr. St Nicholas
85 Callum IRVING Ayr Belleisle
75 Campbell MATHIESON Troon Welbeck
75 Callum McLEAN Kil. Barassie
53.34 Ross MEIKLE Ayr Belleisle
51.67 Charlie CAMERON Ayr Belleisle
50 Robbie ALLAN Turnberry
50 Robbie MUIR Kil. Barassie
50 Aidan LONG Ayr Belleisle
42.5 Luke MURDOCH Loudoun
42.5 Jack KERR West Kilbride
42.5 Ross McDONALD Irvine
36.67 Kieran HUGHES Kil. Barassie
35 Sean COOK Kil. Barassie
35 Scott HOWAT Irvine
23.3 Jordan SWEENEY Ayr Belleisle
15 Jordan ORR Ballochmyle
15 Tom NAIRN Pr. St Nicholas
15 Jordan WOTHERSPOON Troon Welbeck
15 Elliot SPENCE Loudoun
15 Aiden DORE Loudoun
15 Fraser RIGBY Kil. Barassie
10 Kyle BROWN Turnberry
7.5 Blair GAVIN Kil. Barassie
7.5 Calum McLEAN Kil. Barassie
5 Jamie FRASER Brunston Castle
1.67 Ruairidh SAYCE Pr. St Nicholas
1.67 Blair FLEMING Troon Welbeck

AYRSHIRE FOURBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - Abbotsford pairing through to final

The Abbotsford GC pairing of Robert Adams & Iain Pirrie are through to the final of the 2014 Ayrshire Fourball Championship.

The duo had an away match against Alistair McCall and David Moore (Fenwick) in the semi finals and secured their place in the final with a 3 & 2 win.

The Abbotsford team now await the winners of the other semi final tie between Robert Marshall & Phil Rooney (Beith) and David & George McCulloch (Brunston Castle), who are matched together for the second time in the competition, having contested the 2012 final, which was won by the McCulloch brothers.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

AYRSHIRE BOYS MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP - Jack takes second county title in three weeks

2014 Ayrshire Boys Matchplay Champion
Jack Thomas
Jack Thomas (Irvine) won his second county title in three weeks when he claimed the Ayrshire Boys Matchplay crown at Prestwick Golf Club on Thursday 21st August, beating Ayrshire team mate Murray McCrone (Troon Welbeck) in the final. 


17 year old Thomas was bidding to become the secons successive player to win both boys strokeplay and matchplay titles in the same year after Louis Murray (Troon Welbeck) completed the double last year.

Conditions for the final were good, with bright skies and a testing wind from the sea.

Thomas played probably his best golf of the week in beating 16 year old McCrone in the final.

Both players opened with par fours but a bogey at the short second home from McCrone saw him go behind in the match early on.

After a half in par fives at the cardinal hole, the third, Thomas extended his lead to two holes with a birdie three at the fourth. The players halved in par at the next two holes but successive bogeys from McCrone, at both the seventh and eighth holes, saw Thomas' lead increase to four holes.

McCrone desperately needed to halt the slide, and when Thonas could only make five at the ninth hole, McCrone capitalised with a par four to take the hole and reduce the deficit to three holes as the players turned for home.

The fight back from McCrone was short lived however, a double bogey six at the tenth hole allowing Thomas to restore his four hole lead.

Both players bogeyed the par three eleventh hole but another par at the long par five twelfth hole was good enough for jack Thomas to increase his lead to five holes with six to play.

McCrone is well known in the county for his fighting qualities in match play and he secured a good par four at the long thirteenth hole which was enough to reduce the deficit to four holes once again.

With the fourteenth halved in par fours, Thomas moved to the fifteenth tee dormie four, and a par four on the testing fifteenth was enough for Thomas to win the hole and take the title with a 5&3 victory.
2014 finalists
Jack Thomas
&
Murray McCrone
At the conclusion of the championship, in the presence of a group of spectators and Prestwick Golf Club members, as well as visiting members from the Royal & Ancientt Golf Club of St Andrews, Ayrshire Golf Association President Milton Murray presented prizes to both finalists and handed the trophy and commemorative medal to the 2014 champion Jack Thomas.

In conclusion, Jack Thomas thanked Prestwick Golf Club and their members for hosting the championship and Ayrshire officials for organising the event, as well as paying tribute to his caddie and clubmate Stuart Easton and his final opponent Murray McCrone.

AYRSHIRE JUNIOR GOLF LEAGUE - Kilmarnock (Barassie) in championship final

Kilmarnock (Barassie) are through to the final of the 2014 Ayrshire Junior Golf League Championship.

The Barassie club took top spot in SECTION A, just ahead of West Kilbride, whilst the results of all Prestwick St Nicholas matches were cancelled, according to the rules, after the Prestwick club defaulted on two matches during the campaign.

Present positions in Section A are :-

TEAM - P/W/D/L/F/A/Diff./Pts.

KILMARNOCK BARASSIE - 8/7/0/1/32.5/15.5/+17/28
WEST KILBRIDE - 8/6/1/1/28/20/+8/26
PRESTWICK ST CUTHBERT - 8/2/0/6/18.5/29.5/-8/8
LARGS - 7/2/0/5/16.5/25.5/-9/8
BALLOCHMYLE - 7/1/1/5/18.5/23.5/-5/6
PRESTWICK ST NICHOLAS - 0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0

Outstanding fixtures :-
Ballochmyle Vs Largs

In SECTION B, Ayr Belleisle lead the way and have set the target for others, although there are a number of fixtures still outstanding.

Present positions in Section B are :-

TEAM - P/W/D/L/F/A/Diff./Pts.

AYR BELLEISLE - 10/6/2/2/39.5/20.5/+19/28
LOUDOUN - 7/5/0/2/21.5/20.5/+1/20
IRVNE BOGSIDE - 7/4/0/3/26/16/+10/16
TROON WELBECK - 7/3/2/2/21/5/20.5/+1/16
TROON ST MEDDANS - 4/0/1/3/6/18/-12/2
CAPRINGTON - 7/0/1/6/11.5/30.5/-19/2

Outstanding fixtures :-
Caprington Vs Irvine Bogside
Troon Welbeck Vs Troon St Meddans
Irvine Bogside Vs Troon Welbeck
Troon Welbeck Vs Loudoun
Troon St Meddans Vs Loudoun
Troon St Meddans Vs Irvine Bogside
Troon St Meddans Vs Caprington
Caprington Vs Troon St Meddans
Loudoun Vs Troon St Meddans

In the UNDER 16 KNOCKOUT TROPHY, Loudoun have booked their place in the final with a 3 - 1 win away at Caprington, and now await the winners of the tie between Irvine and Prestwick St Nicholas

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

AYRSHIRE BOYS MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP - Thomas & McCrone through to final

Jack Thomas & Murray McCrone
with the Ayrshire Boys Matchplay trophy
they will contest on Thursday
The final of the 2014 Ayrshire Boys Matchplay Championship on Thursday 21st August will be between Jack Thomas (Irvine) and Murray McCrone (Troon Welbeck). 


In the semi finals on Wednesday evening, Murray McCrone faced his clubmate Craig McKenzie whilst Jack Thomas was up against Jordan Fraser (Ayr Belleisle).

McCrone lead from early on in his tie against McKenzie and played some of his best golf of the season as he increased his lead during the match, eventually running out the winner with a 5 & 3 victory over Mckenzie.

The other semi final tie reached the eighteenth tee all square and a half in par fours at the last took the tie into extra holes.

Jack Thomas had the opportunity to take the tie at the first extra hole but took three from the back of the green to half the hole in bogey fives.

The par three second was also halved in bogeys and the players progressed to the par five third, the 21st hole of the match, in a bid to settle the tie.

Both players were in good position from the tee and easily negotiated the Cardinal bunker in two. Thomas played his approach first from the centre of the fairway and saw his ball come to rest just 12 feet from the hole.

The finalists with the trophy 
outside the Prestwick GC clubhouse
Coming from the left side of the fairway, Fraser saw his pitch run just through the green into the hollow at the back and his next shot also ran some distance past the hole, just outside where Thomas' ball lay. Fraser's effort for par missed, leaving Thomas with two putts for the hole and a place in the final. Thomas finished off the tie in style, holing his 12 foot putt for a winning birdie four to progress to the final and maintain his bid for a boys county championship double in 2014, having recently won the Ayrshire Boys Strokeplay championship.

The final on Thursday evening tees off at 4.30 p.m. at Prestwick Golf Club.