AYRSHIRE MEN'S MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP - First round results from Western Gailes

The first round of the 2026 Ayrshire Men's Matchplay Championship was played at Western Gailes GC on the evening of Monday the 4th of May, with the 16 competitors encountering some breezy but dry conditions as they opened their challenge for the championship title this year.

The first match on the course featured Calum Nairn of Prestwick St Cuthbert GC and Keith Hamilton of Royal Troon. Calum had the better of the early exchanges and maintained his advantage to run out the eventual winner by 4 & 2

In the second round on Tuesday evening Calum will play Paul Moultrie of Royal Troon GC, who is also a member of the host club, after Paul edged out Gregor Mackintosh of Girvan GC in thier first round encounter by a single hole. The match was tight throughout, with Gregor leading in the early stages, but paul fought back to level the match before striking a hammer blow at the seventeenth, holing a long putt for a wining birdie three to go dormie one. At the
final hole Gregor was just through the green in two while Paul was short of the hole on the puttting surface. Gregor chipped on but his effort ran past and Paul secured his place in the second round by rolling his birdie putt to within a foot of the hole, prompting a concession from Gregor.

Also a winner on the final green in his first round tie was Graeme Gimson of Prestwick St Cuthbert GC who overcame Blair Morton of Royal Troon GC by a single hole. Graeme took the early initiative, forging a four hole lead by the turn but Blair clawed his way back into the game and took the tie to the final tee one behind. After Graeme found a bunker on the left from the tee, Blair looked to be favourirt to take the tie into extra holes after he found the right side of the putting surface with his approach, the ball finishing around 25 feet from the hole. Graeme had other ideas however, and played an excellent chip from twenty five yards short of the green to within 15 inches of the hole, prompting a conceded par four. Despite a good effort, Blair's birdie putt remained above ground and Graeme progressed to the second round by the narrowest of margins.

In Tuesday's quarter-finals Graeme Gimson will face Andy Gibson of Caprington GC who was up
against Michael Main of Largs GC in the opening round, and prevailed eventually by 3&2 in another closely fought encounter.

In an all Irvine GC encounter Tom Loy faced Darren Mallinson for a place in round two and it was Tom who won through to the last eight with a victory on the penultimate green by 2&1.

In the quarter finals Tom Loy will play Harvey Broadfoot of Royal Troon GC who faced Euan Forrest of Turnberry GC in the first round, the first rreserve for the competition, who was a late replacement for Scott Brown of Prestwick St Cuthbert GC who called off on the Monday morning due to an injury. The match between Harvey and Euan was tight throughout until the closing holes, Harvey finishing the strongest and running out the winner of the tie by 2&1.

Seasoned campaigner John Shanks of Irvine GC was up against the newly crowned Ayrshire Men's Strokeplay Champion Alan McLean of Largs GC in the opening round and it was John who booked his place in the second round woith a 3&2 victory over Alan.

In the quarter finals John Shanks will play fellow Ayrshire Golf Association executive member Steven
Stamper of Turnberry GC who overcame Western Gailes GC member Matt Allen in theor first round encounter. Steven was three up in the closing stages of the encounter but Matt pulled a hole back and by the seventeenth was two down with two to play, before winning the penultimate hole to take the tie to the last. Playing first to the final green, Matt hit his approach to the left of the flag, his ball coming to rest about 20 feet from the hole leaving a downhill putt for his birdie. Despite the pressure of the situatuion Steven played an excellent second to the right of the hole, his ball coming to rest a few feet closer than Matt's approach. Putting first, matt's birdie attempt looked in all the way but it turned a little as it neared the hole and slipped past the right lip, which prompted a very sporting concession of Steven's putt from Matt, and a conceded single hole vitory for Steven.

The quarter final ties take place at Western Gailes GC  on Tuesday the 5th of May from 4.45 p,m.