LOMOND PROPERTY AYRSHIRE WOMEN'S MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP - Final green victory for Liz Keohone at Troon Lochgreen

Liz Keohone (Loudoun) is the 2026 Lomond Property Ayrshire Women's Matchplay Champion following a single hole victory over defending champion Debbie Watt (Ayr Belleisle Ladies) in an enthraling final played at Troon Lochgreen golf course on Wedenesday the 24th of June.

In a match where there was never any more than a single hole seperating the two finalists throughout the contest, it was Debbie who took the early lead with a winning birdie four at the first, but a combination of a lost ball at the third and Debbie struggling to get the pace of the greens over the outward half saw Liz square the match at the third and edge into the lead at the fourth with a winning par four.

The players matched each other until the eighth when Liz bunkered her approach on the right and Debbie took full advantage, winning the hole with a par four to square the match, after Liz was unable to get up and down from the sand.

Debbie won the ninth to go one up at the turn but a three putt at the tenth allowed Liz to take the hole and square the match once again.

Two fine shots to the middle of the 366 yard eleventh hole set up a winning par four for Debbie to restore her single hole advantage as the players progressed to the best five hole stretch in the match.

At the 359 yard twelfth hole Liz hit a super second onto the green which Debbie matched, and after Debbie holed her long putt for a birdie three, Liz stepped up and matched Debbie's effort to half the hole in birdies.

A half in fours at the thirteenth, where both players had outside chances of winning the hole, was followed by two excellent approach shots to the tricky fourteenth green. Liz's effort finished twenty feet from the hole while Debbie hit her approach to just six feet. Again both players showed their mettle, Liz drilling her put home and Debbie following her in for another half in birdie threes.

At the par three fifteenth Debbie looked favourite after finding the green from the tee, while Liz's tee shot found a difficult lie in the greenside right bunker. Liz waxs up to the challenge though, a superb bunker shot to six feet being followed by a successful putt for a three which was good enough to keep the defecit to a single hole.

The players matches each other with par fives at the sixteenth and the tie moved to the penultimate hole with Debbie still leading by one.

At the seventeenth Liz missed the green to the left while Debbie was unfortunate to see her approach run just through the green and down the slope at the back. A superb chip from Liz set up a par four which Debbie was unable to match, and the game went to the final tee all square.

At the last Liz found the green in three with a fine approach shot, and when Debbie's approach came up short, Liz was able to put out to take the final hole and the match by a single hole to become the 2026 Ayrshire Women's Matchplay Champion.

At the conclusion of the match Ayrshire Golf Association Past President Andrew Gilligan (Royal Troon) presented both finalists with vouchers before handing the championship trophy and commemorative medal over to the 2026 champion, Liz Keohone.