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.