AYRSHIRE CHAMPIONSHIPS - Two weeks remain until closing date for three events

There are only two weeks left for clubs to enter three of the major Ayrshire Golf Association events in 2016.

To date (17^th January) 24 players have been entered in the CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS TROPHY competition.

The players confirmed as entrants this year so far are :-

Alton	IAN GRIFFIN
Annanhill	ANTHONY FRASER
Auchenharvie 88	BRIAN ROBERTSON
Ayr Dalmilling	ANDREW LINDSAY
Ayr Seafield	CHRIS STIRRAT
Braehead	GAVIN STUART
Brunston Castle	GARY STEELE
Caprington	ALAN OLIVER
Doon Valley	JOHN SLOAN
Irvine	JOHN SHANKS
Irvine Ravenspark	DARREN MALLINSON
Largs	IAIN MACDONALD
Largs Routenburn	JACK PURDIE
Loudoun	PAUL DENIM
Malletsheugh	DENIS TAGGART
Moorpark	SCOTT McCUNE
Muirkirk	STUART ANGUS
Rowallan Castle	COLIN BERRY
Royal Troon	ALISTAIR D. WRIGHT
Troon Portland	ROBBIE STEWART
Troon St Meddans	DAVID POWER
Wallacetown	THOMAS SMITH
West Kilbride	DAVID CONNOLLY
Holder	PAUL H. MOULTRIE

Clubs who entered last year, but have yet to submit an entry for the 201`6 competition are :-

Abbotsford

Ardeer

Ayr Belleisle

Ayr Carrick

Ballochmyle

Crosshouse

Drongan

Girvan

Glacier

Kilbirnie Place

Kilmarnock Barassie

New Cumnock

North Beach

Prestwick St Cuthbert

Prestwick St Nicholas

Saxone

Stewarton

Tam 'O' Shanter

The Chase

Troon Welbeck

Turnberry

Turnberry Staff

Whiting Bay

22 clubs have to date (17^th January) entered the FOURBALL KNOCKOUT TROPHY competition, where Brunston Castle will bid for a third successive win in the event, albeit this year with new representatives in the competition.

Confirmed entrants so far for the 2016 competition are :-

Alton	LUKE WALKER
	JACK McCALL
Annanhill	ALEXANDER IRVINE
	MARK THOMPSON
Auchenharvie 88	BRIAN ROBERTSON
	DAVID McNAUGHT
Ayr Dalmilling	ANDREW CARSWELL
	RICHARD STEVENSON
Ayr Seafield	FRANCIS McNEILLIE
	GRANT WILSON
Braehead	GAVIN STUART
	GARY HOWARTH
Brunston Castle	DOUGLAS McCORMICK
	JAMIE McCRINDLE
Caprington	HALBERT OLIVER
	ALAN OLIVER
Doon Valley	DAVID SLOAN
	JOHN BARR Jr.
Irvine	STEPHEN WELLS
	GORDON STORRAR
Irvine Ravenspark	THOMAS REILLY
	ROBERT MCNEIL
Largs	DAVID A MACDONALD
	IAIN S MACDONALD
Largs Routenburn	CAMERON HENDRY
	ALAN BAILLIE
Loudoun	RAB McKELL
	NEIL CAIRNS
Malletsheugh	JIM LYNCH
	MICK ATKINS
Moorpark	ROBERT PATERSON
	ANDREW MACDONALD
Muirkirk	CRAIG MENZIES
	MURRAY PRINGLE
Rowallan Castle	ANDREW MACLEOD
	MARTIN O'BRIEN
Troon Portland	VINCE GILLIGAN
	MICHAEL HENDERSON
Troon St Meddans	KENNY MILLIKEN
	EAMONN McFADDEN
Wallacetown	THOMAS SMITH
	ROBERT THOMAS
West Kilbride	DAVID QUEEN
	IAN RIDDEX

Clubs who entered last year but are yet to submit an entry for the 2016 competition are :-

Abbotsford
Ardeer
Ayr Belleisle
Ayr Carrick
Ayr Neptune
Ballochmyle
Crosshouse
Drongan
Girvan
Glacier
Kilbirnie Place
Kilmarnock Barassie
New Cumnock
North Beach
Pontoon
Prestwick St Cuthbert
Prestwick St Nicholas
Saxone
Skelmorlie
Stewarton
Tam 'O' Shanter
The Chase
Troon Welbeck
Turnberry Staff

12 clubs have entered the AYRSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUES competition to date (17^th January), with Ayr Seafield joining the leagues for the first time in 2016.

The clubs who have entered the 2016 competition so far are :-

IRVINE

LOUDOUN

IRVINE RAVENSPARK

TROON ST MEDDANS

LARGS

CAPRINGTON

ROWALLAN CASTLE

TROON PORTLAND

AYR DALMILLING

BRUNSTON CASTLE

MOORPARK

AYR SEAFIELD

Clubs who entered last year but have still to submit an entry for the 2016 competition are :-

PRESTWICK ST CUTHBERT

KILMARNOCK BARASSIE

BALLOCHMYLE

AYR BELLEISLE

TURNBERRY

WEST KILBRIDE

GIRVAN

TROON WELBECK

ARDEER

PRESTWICK ST NICHOLAS

KILBIRNIE PLACE

NEW CUMNOCK

TAM O SHANTER

AUSTRALIAN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP - McDonald edged out by fellow countryman Forrest in last 16

Jack McDonald's bid for the Australian Mens Amateur Championship, being played in Melbourne this week, ended in the third round of matchplay on Friday when he lost out on the final green to fellow Scotland internationalist Grant Forrest.

Earlier in the day, McDonald had defeated Australian Aiden Didone on the final green in the second round of matchplay to progress to the last 16.

The other Scot still in the championship, Connor Syme, also won through his third round match to join Grant Forrest in the quarter finals.

PRO GOLF - Back to back wins for Stewart in Ayrshire

Former Scottish Amateur Champion and walker Cup player Michael Stewart, of Troon Welbeck, hit a vein of good form this week with first place finishes in two winter events played locally.

On Tuesday, 12^th January, Stewart carded a three under par 68 over Troon Darley in the CT Sports Academy Pro Winter series 18-hole tournament to tie first place with  Cameron Farrell (Cardross).

The pair finished two shots ahead of amateur Craig Ross (Kirkhill) in third place.

Leading Final Scores

68 - M Stewart (Troon Welbeck), C Farrell (Cardross),
70 - C Ross (Kirkhill) (am)
71 - G O'Neill (Dullatur)
72 - G Wright (West Linton)
74 - S Borrowman (Dollar)

The following day, Wednesday 13^th January, Stewart won a Glasgow Golf Centre sponsored tournament at Glasgow Gailes, carding a second successive score of three under par 68 to win by two shots from Cameron Farrell, whom he had tied first with the previous day at Troon.

AUSTRALIAN MENS AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP - McDonald ant two other Scots through to last 32

Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) successfully negotiated the first round of the Australian Mens Amateur Championship in Melbourne, along with two of his three fellow countrymen who successfully reached the matchplay stages.

(Report from the scottishgolfview.com website)

Craigielaw's Grant Forrest scraped into the 64 qualifiers for the match-play stages of the Australian amateur championship at Metropolitan and Kingswood golf clubs, Victoria after a second-round 77.


But then the Walker Cup player and 2012 Scottish amateur champion recaptured his form to score a notable first-round win by two holes over the highly-rated Aussie, Kevin Yuan.

There are three Scots through to the last 32.

Connor Syme (Drumoig) beat Mitchell Smith (Australia) 4 and 3, and Jack McDonald (Barassie) bt another Aussie, Jordan Ayre, by one hole.

The only Scot to lose in the opening match-play titles was Walker Cup player Ewen Ferguson who went down by 5 and 3 to Welshman Evan Griffith.

In the second round of matchplay, on Friday, Jack McDonald faces Australian Aiden Didone. 

AYRSHIRE WINTER GOLF ASSOCIATION - Three tie at Kilmarnock (Barassie)

The first Ayrshire Winter Golf Association fixture of 2016 took place at (Kilmarnock (Barassie) on Tuesday 12th January, with three professionals tied on 68 at the head of the field.

The players battled with wet conditions, both overhead and under foot, throughout the day, but Graham Fox (34,34), Paul O'Hara (35,33) and Stephen Gray (36,32) all scored exceptionally well under the conditions.

Gray now leads the Professional Order Of merit with 22 points, followed by O'hara on 18.

In the amateur competition for the Ne'erday Trophy, 9 handicap home club player Peter Thomson won by one shot, with a nett 68, from 4 handicap newcomer Stuart Ross (Glasgow Gailes)

Leading Scores :-

	PRO/TRAINEES	CLUB	SCORE
GRAHAM	FOX	Clydeway Golf	68
PAUL	O'HARA	Clydeway Golf	68
STEPHEN	GRAY	Hayston G C	68
STEVEN	MAXWELL	Eastwood G C	71
STUART	KERR	Strathaven G C	72
IAN	REDFORD	New Club St Andrews.	72
DEREK	WATTERS	Gourock G C	73
SCOTT	GARRETT	Fereneze G C	74
JONNY	MULLANEY	Unattached	75
CALLUM	BEVERIDGE	Gailes Golf & Leisure	76
JAMES	HAMILTON	Whitecraigs G C	77
MICHAEL	PATTERSON	Kilmacolm G C	77
CAMPBELL	ELLIOTT	Haggs Castle G C	77
ANTHONY	O'DONNELL	Largs G C	79
David-Ross	NICOL	Dundonald LINKS	82
BLAIR	HARVEY	Glasgow G C	85
JORDEN	FERRIE	Hilton Park G C	88
DAVID	FLEMING	Prestwick G C	n/r
		NE'ERDAY TROPHY
	AMATEURS	CLUB	GROSS	HCAP	NET
PETER	THOMSON	Barassie	77	9	68
STUART	ROSS	Glasgow G C	73	4	69
TOM	ROGERS	Caldwell G C	84	14	70
JOHN	LEITCH	Haggs Castle G C	78	5	73
COLIN	McLATCHIE	West Kilbride G C	82	9	73
STEVE	BANKS	West Kilbride G C	81	7	74
PETER J	BOYD	Glasgow G C	79	5	74
RAYNOND	CHRISTIAN	Glasgow G C	89	15	74
JONATHAN	d'AGUILAR	Glasgow G C	80	6	74
JOE	DEVLIN	West Kilbride G C	78	4	74
ALISTAIR	NICOL	Troon Portland G C	79	5	74
JOHN	RUSHBURY	Royal Troon /KBGC	78	4	74
DREW	WADDELL	Glasgow G C	76	2	74

AUSTRALIAN MENS AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP - McDonald through to matchplay stages

Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) has succesfully qualified for the matchplay stages of the Australian Mens Amateur Championship in Melbourne, alongside the other 3 Scottish players taking part in the event.

(Report courtesy of the www.scottishgolf.org website)

All four Scottish players have qualified for the matchplay stages at the weather-affected Australian Men’s Amateur Championship.

After severe weather forced a suspension of play in Melbourne, players returned early on Thursday morning to finish their second rounds.

Walker Cup winners Grant Forrest, Ewen Ferguson and Jack McDonald, as well as compatriot Connor Syme are all competing Down Under.

The event involves two rounds of strokeplay before the top 64 qualify for the matchplay event, with Syme (Drumoig), Kilmarnock Barassie’s McDonald and Ferguson (Bearsden) safely securing places inside the four over par cut mark when play resumed.Extreme heat, with temperatures over 40°C, forced players from Melbourne’s Metropolitan and Kingswood golf courses at 3.50pm on Wednesday, then just as the field was returning to position for a 6pm resumption, lightning and fierce winds sent players and spectators scurrying again.

Syme battled hard to fire rounds of 73 and 71 for a level par total, with Ferguson a further shot back after his topsy-turvy second round of 74. McDonald also progressed on two over par.

Craigielaw’s Forrest had the most anxious wait, after his 77 on day two left him sweating on a top-64 place. But last year’s Amateur Championship runner-up was left to reflect on a clutch eight foot par putt on the 18th to see him also qualify.