Young Ayrshire golfers taste victory

Jul 18 2008

AYRSHIRE under 18s followed up their recent win over Lanarkshire by beating Dunbartonshire 5–3 at Prestwick St Cuthbert on Sunday.

The match was a rollercoaster affair, with Ayrshire building up a strong early position before Dunbartonshire turned the tables, leaving the home team to mount a late fightback.

Scores: Marc Smith( Barassie) lost to D. Gallacher (Clydebank) 3&2; Fraser Kerr (Barassie) beat C Farrell (Cardross) two holes; David Wilson (Welbeck) lost to S. Thistleton (Hilton Park) 3&2; Jack McDonald (Barassie) beat G Meechan (Dullater) 3&2; Scott Brown (Turnberry) beat C Paterson (Hilton Park) 5&4; Colin Robinson (Largs) beat T Sharkey (Helensburgh) one hole; Adam Foley (Belleisle) beat J. Hendry (Douglas Park) 2&1; Andrew Wright (Barassie) lost to F. McKenna (Balmore) 3&2.

THREE semi-finalists have been decided in the Ayrshire Summer League as Ballochmyle drop out of championship.

In league two, Kilmarnock (Barassie) claimed the semi-final place with a 3½-2½ win away at West Kilbride. Barassie now await the winners from league one where Welbeck lead Belleisle by two points. In the other semi-final, Ravenspark will play Caprington.

STEVEN McEWAN (Caprington) fired a four-round total of 270 to finish third in the Sutherland Chalice at Dumfries & Galloway on Sunday.

He was a mere two strokes behind the eventual winner, Scott Henry (Cardross).

MEANWHILE, Prestwick’s Callum Nicoll was joint second in the Newmacher Pro Am at the Hawkshead course.

He fired a round of 72, three strokes behind the winner, John McCreadie (Buchanan Castle).

Former West Kilbride club champion Graeme Fox (East Kilbride) was one shot behind Nicoll, on 73.

TWO local players were in the Scotland team which finished eleventh in the rain-shortened European Boys’ Team Championships in Slovenia last week.

Flying the flag for Ayrshire were Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) and Kyle Smith (Kilmarnock Barassie).

TURNBERRY’S Ronnie McLellan was joint third in the South of Scotland Seniors Open at Dumfries & County GC.

The event was won by host club member and former internationalist Ian Brotherston with a one-over-par total of 139. McLellan shared third place with two others on 142.

WELBECK’S David Wilson finished a creditable fourth in the Scottish Boys under-14 Open Strokeplay Championship at The Glen in North Berwick.

The competition was claimed by Nick Ward (Redbourn) after a play-off win against Anthony Blaney (Liberton). Wilson was three shots adrift with a round of 72.

IRVINE won the Ayrshire club champions title for the second time in three years when they pipped 12 other teams over the Bogside course.

With two scores from three counting, the early leaders were the Prestwick St Cuthbert team of Graeme Gimson (76), Kevin Fergusson (78) and Stephen McBlain (72).

However, they were overtaken when the host club side of Alex Gourlay (72), John Shanks (71) and Henry Thomson (79) came with a late charge. The CSS for the competition was 74 (+2).

The Irvine team now travel torepresent Ayrshire at the Scottish final at Windyhill on September 28.

Final totals

143: Irvine (A. Gourlay 72, J. Shanks 71, H. Thomson 79)

148: St Cuthbert (G. Gimson 76, K. Fergusson 78, S. McBlain 72)

150: St Nicholas (G. Lawrie 76, D. Hawthorn 74, S. King 78)

151: Kilmarnock Barassie (E. Brown 78, A. Wright 76, R. Dixon 75)

152: Welbeck (D. Chamberlain 77, B. Ferguson 75, K. Houston 77)

153: Loudoun (T. McInally 73, G. McCormack 85, P. Kennedy 80)

155: Ravenspark (G. Robertson N/R, J. Cairney 77, D. Mallinson 78)

158: Ballochmyle (C. Hamilton N/R, W. Wilson 79, G. Rowan 79); St Meddans (T. Stafford N/R, S. Pennington 77, F. Drum 81)

160: Belleisle (D. Tierney 90, D. Low 83, S. Clark 77)

161: West Kilbride (I. Brown 77, R. DeCourcy 94, M. Roos 84)

177: New Cumnock (N. McCormack N/R, M. Riddall 86, T. Keddie 91); N/R: Tam O’Shanter (C. Merry N/R, R. Gemmell 88, G. McPherson N/R).

FORMER Scottish Boys’ under 16 strokeplay winner David Addison (Kilmarnock Barassie) led from halfway of the Cameron Corbett Vase competition at Haggs Castle to take the his first major 72- hole strokeplay title and SGU Order Of merit event by three shots.

Addison returned scores of 69, 71, 68 and 69 for an 11-under-par total of 277. Scott Hendry (Cardross) was his closest challenger, with two closing rounds of 68 for a 280 total. Three players tied for third place on 282, with Steven McEwan (Caprington) sixth on 285.