AYRSHIRE MEN'S STROKEPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP - Gavin Chesney wins first county title in play off at Largs

Gavin Chesney (Kilbirnie Place) won the 2024 Ayrshire Men's Strokeplay Championship, sponsored by Lomond Property, at Largs Golf Club on Sunday the 28th of April, taking his first Ayrshire county title after a three hole play off with Craig Hamilton (Ballochmyle).

A field of 77 players contested the 2024 championship in fine weather on a largs course which was presented in excellent condition.

David A MacDonald (Largs), who eventually finished in fourth place overall, led the way after the first round with a two under par score of 68, giving him a single shot lead over the eventual winner Gavin Chesney and a three shot advantage over four others, including championship runner up Craig Hamilton and Adam Sweeney (Prestwick St Cuthbert) who eventually finished in third place.

An afternoon score of 70, which was the best return in the second round, gave William Fleming (Ballochmyle) fifth place overall while Alan McLean (Largs) added a 71 in the afernoon to his morning round of 72 for sixth place overall.

Once all the scores were in, Gavin Chesney and Craig Hamilton, with two round totals of 141, finished one shot clear of Adam Sweeney and David A MacDonald, and the destination of the title was decided by a three hole strokeplay play off, over holes 1, 2 and 18.

At the opening hole, a 144 yard par three, both players hit excellent tee shots, Chesney's ball finishing eight feet from the hole and Hamilton's ball finishing six feet from the hole. In what would ultimately prove a decisive course of events, Gavin Chesney, putting first, holed his putt for a birdie two while crag Hamilton's effort just failed to match Chesney, who took a single shot lead to hole two.

In the remaining two play off holes both players had birdie putts at both holes, but ultimately neither
player could better par at each hole and Gavin Chesney took the title  by winning the three hole play off by a single stroke.

At the conclusion of the championship, Ayrshire Golf Association President Andrew Gilligan presented vouchers to the succesful competitors before handing over the championship trophy, and commemorative medal to the 2024 Ayrshire Men's Strokeplay Champion Gavin Chesney.

As a result of his win, Gavin Chesney gains a place in the Ayrshire Champion of Champions Trophy competition in 2025 and will also receive a Titleist Performance Institute screening session in the Mind Body Golf studio in Troon, courtesy of Paul Moutrie.

Although not in the prizes, the championship proved to be a memorable one for Lawrence Ngoma (Loudoun) who had a hole in one in his morning round at the 162 yard eighth hole.

The Ayrshire Golf Association would like to extend sincere thanks to the members, management, and staff of Largs Golf Club for hosting the 2024 championship so well and would also extend sincere thanks to the championship sponsors Lomond Property, and to Paul Moutrie of Mind Body Golf for sponsoring the provision of fruit and bottled water for all the competitors at the championship.

The list of prizewinners, and final scores are:-