AYRSHIRE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS - Michael Smyth and Graeme Gimson win through to final

The final of the 2017 Ayrshire Champion Of Champions Trophy competition, to be played at Royal Troon on Friday 11th August, will be between Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) and Graeme Gimson (Prestwick St Cuthbert) after completion of the two semi final matches tonight, Friday 4th August.

In the first semi final Michael Smyth faced David Macdonald (Largs).

Smyth took command of the match throughout the outward half, turning for home with a three hole lead. he quickly extended his lead to five holes after eleven, winning both the tenth and eleventh holes, and looked on course for a comfortable victory.

Macdonald however fought back in style, taking four successive holes from the twelfth to reduce the defecit in the match to a single hole with three remaining to play.

At the sixteenth, Smyth managed to stem the tide, taking the hole to go dormie two in the tie.

At the par three seventeenth, Smythe struck his tee shot with a three iron, only to see the head of his club detach and fly forward forty yards from the tee. His ball fared much better however, coming to rest within ten feet of the hole, despite the club malfunction, and setting up another win for Smyth, and a 3 & 1 victory in the match.

In the second semi final, Graeme Gimson played Steven Stamper (Turnberry) and he took the early initiative with a winning birdie three at the second hole. Stamper squred the match at the fourth hole before Gimson restored his lead with a winning birdie two at the famous Postage Stamp hole, the eighth, only to see Stamper square the match again at the turn with a winning par fou ar the ninth.

As the players turned for home, Gimson took a quick two hole advantage by winning both the tenth and eleventh, but within two holes the match was back to square again.

At the par three fourteenth, Gimson recorded his second birdie two of the evening to restore his one hole lead and by the time the match reached the final hole, Gimson remained one in front.

At the eighteenth, Stamper missed the green to the left with his approach whilst Gimson found the back centre of the green in two. With Stamper on the green in three, but some distance from the hole, Gimson laid his long, right to left, putt for a three stone dead which prompted a concession from Stamper to give Gimson a one hole victory and a place in the final.

The final tees off at 5.00 p.m. on Friday 11th August, again over the Old Course at Royal Troon.