AYRSHIRE BOYS MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP - Ferguson and Muir in final showdown

The final of the 2017 Ayrshire Boys Matchplay Championship will be between the defending champion Euan Ferguson (Turnberry) and the 2015 winner Robbie Muir (Kilmarnock Barassie) after the semi final matches were completed on Wednesday evening, 9th August, at Prestwick Golf Club.

Ewan Milligan & Euan Ferguson

In the first semi final, playued in sunny but breezy conditions, Euan Ferguson played Ewan Milligan (Kilmarnock Barassie) and took the lead at the first when Milligan hit his tee shot onto the railway and the hole was conceded. A par three at the second allowed Milligan to square the match, only to go one behind again when he went out of bounds at the third hole and conceded the hole to Ferguson.

Ferguson extended his lead to two holes with a par three at the fifth and took control of the match bty winning three successive holes from the seventh to turn for home with a five hole advantage.

Pars at the opening two holes in the inward half saw Milligan reduce the defecit to three and a further par four at the long and difficult thirteenth hole reduced Ferguson's lead further, to two holes.

The next three holes were halved in par figures which left Ferguson dormie two as the players came to the penultimate hole, the famous Alps hole.

Milligan missed the green to the left with his approach whilst ferguson was just through the back of the green on the fringe, with an extremely difficult downhill shot left to the pin.

Playing first, Milligan got his chip to within four feet of the hole, whilst ferguson played his approach putt well, his ball coming to rest just beyond Milligan's. Putting first, Ferguson bravely holed his five foot putt for a fine par four to take the match and progress to the final with a 2 & 1 victory.

John Jack & Robbie Muir

In the second semi final, Robbie Mur faced 13 year old John Jack (West Kilbride), and got off to the perfect start with a wining par four at the first and a birdie two at the second to go two ahead in the match. Muir extended his lead by winning the fourth and fifth to go four ahead.

Jack showed his fighting spirit over the next two holes, winning both the sixth and seventh with par fours to reduce the defecit to two holes once more, but Muir hit back and took the eight and ninth to restore his four hole advantage at the turn.

Again Jack reduced the deficit to three by winning the eleventh with a three but Muir hit back immediately, winning the twelfth with a birdie four to go four up once again.

Muir maintained his lead into the closing loop and a fine chip to the fifteenth green to secure a conceded par four was enough for Muir to close out the match with a 5 & 3 win.

The final, on Thursday 10th August, will tee off at Prestwick GC at 4.30 p.m.