Friday, July 19, 2024

SCOTTISH BOYS' AND GIRLS' CHAMPIONSHIPS - Final heartache for Freya Russell while two Ayrshire boys secure last sixteen spots

Freya Russell (Royal Troon) suffered final heartache in the Scottish Girls' Championship play off at Forfar GC on Friday the 19th of July, losing out to Arianna Virik (Coventry Hearsall GC) at the second extra hole for the title.

The Scottish Girls' Championship finalists
Freya Russell & Arianna Virik  
(Photo credit - Scottish Golf)

Freya was dormie three against 14-year-old Arianna in the 18-hole final, and had struck her approach to 10 and a half feet at the sixteenth, when Arianna chipped in from off the green to win the hole. 

A 20-foot birdie putt on the seventeenth reduced Freya's advantage further and the match was destined for extra holes when Arianna also took the final regulation hole of the match.

Both players made par at the first extra hole but after missing the green at the second extra hole, Freya failed to get up and down from a tricky lie to the right of the green and a two-putt par secured the win for Arianna.

With Freya due to move to Florida State University next month, the defeat was a especially difficult, being in her final championship as a junior in Scotland, and coming despite being five under par for the round in the final standing on the eighteenth tee, but she should be applauded for her effort in reaching the final and losing out by the narrowest of margins.

In the Scottish Boys' Championship, being played at Monifieth, the three ayrshire qualifiers won their first round matches in the knockout stages, which began on Friday morning, the 19th of July with two of the three winning their afternoon matches also, to book their places in the last sixteen of the championship.

Scott Newman (Royal Troon) opened with a win at the first extra hole against Lyle Gillie (Torwoodlee), and booked his place in the third round with a 3&2 win over Koby Buchanan (Cruden Bay). In the third round on Saturday morning, Scott will play Freddie Tucker (Scotland).

Connor Wills (Prestwick St Nicholas) opened with a 4&3 win over Oliver Robertson (Deeside) and won his second round match on Friday afternoon against Ben Carmichael (Dumfries & County) by 4&2. In the last sixteen Connor is up against Jack Collingswood (West Links)

Finlay Watt (West Kilbride) won his opening tie against Ewen Farquhar (St Andrews New) by 3&2 before losing out in the second round on Friday afternoon by 2&1 to Scotland Boys' internationalist Brodie Cunningham (Bothwell Castle)    

The third round and quarter finals take place on Saturday the 20th of July with the semi-fianls on the morning of Sunday the 21st of July and the final scheduled for the Sunday afternoon.   


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