Prestwick tee up club title

Jul 10 2009

PRESTWICK Golf Club are the Ayrshire club champions after edging out Ballochmyle by one shot at Loudoun on Sunday.

With two scores from three counting towards the team total, James Bunch, Allan Thomson and Johnathan King posted 135.

Ballochmyle set the early target with Craig Hamilton (69) and Graeme Rowan (67) combining for a 136 total. Dougie McKinnon added a useful 72 as the third score, to be utilised in the event of a tie.

In the early stages, Kilmarnock (Barassie) came closest through Callum Sharp (71) and Euan Brown (67) for a 138 total.

With only three teams remaining to complete their scores, hosts Loudoun fell just short of Ballochmyle’s score with Tommy McInally (71) and John Haggerty (67) combining for 138.

Prestwick posed the greatest challenge to Ballochmyle and so it proved with former Scotland internationalist King leading the way with a 67.

Despite dropping five shots over the closing holes, Bunch added a level par 68, giving Prestwick a one shot lead on 135. In the final match, former Scottish amateur champion Allan Thomson added another 68.

Prestwick now represent Ayrshire in the Scottish Club Championship finals at Prestwick St Nicholas on Sunday, September 27.

Team totals: 135: Prestwick; 136: Ballochmyle; 138: Loudoun, Kilmarnock (Barassie); 140: Brunston Castle; 142: Irvine; 143: Welbeck; 144: St Nicholas, Turnberry; 146: Belleisle; 147: Ravenspark; 148: Troon Portland, West Kilbride; 149: St Cuthbert; 150: St Meddans, Ayr Dalmilling, Annanhill; 156: Tam O' Shanter; 159: New Cumnock. CSS was 69.

lWITH four of the 21 counting events completed in the Ayrshire Junior Order of Merit, Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) holds the lead.

Walker took top spot in the Girvan Boys’ Championship and followed it with a fifth place at Largs to open a 20 point lead.

Clubmate Andrew Wright is second after his win in the Prestwick Boys’ Open at St Cuthbert while Marc Smith (Welbeck) lies third with points from a third place at Largs being added to points gained at the Scottish Boys’ Championship earlier in the year.

Graeme Ritchie (Welbeck) and John Robertson (Largs) are fourth after a share of the top points at Largs.

Leading points: 120: Euan Walker (Barassie); 100: Andrew Wright (Barassie); 92½: Marc Smith (Welbeck); 87½: Graham Ritchie (Welbeck), John Robertson (Largs); 62½: Charlie MacNeal (Welbeck), Sam Findlater (Welbeck), Declan Flood (Caprington), Scott Johnston (St C); 50: Jack McDonald (Welbeck); 42½: Rory McKenzie (Welbeck); 27½: David Wilson (Welbeck), Gragor MacKintosh (Girvan); 10: Alistair Berry (Ravenspark); 7½: Callum Beveridge (Welbeck); 2½: Andrew Gilmour (Largs), David McLellan (Largs).

lAYRSHIRE is well represented in the local regional final of the Dunfermline Building Society Junior Masters at Bishopbriggs on Tuesday, July 14. Steven McLeish, Craig McCallum (both Belleisle), Kieran Young, Michael Pollock (both Skelmorlie) and Ross McSherry (Royal Troon) take part in the boys’ event.

Sophie Love, Gillian Love (both Skelmorlie),Hazel McGarvie (Ayrshire Ladies) and Zoe Raynor (Bentinck Ladies) go in the girls’ event.

lAYRSHIRE has five players in the Scottish Boys’ Strokeplay Championship at Ladybank from July 21 to 23.

Boys’ internationalist Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) will be joined by clubmate Andrew Wright and fellow junior tour competitor Marc Smith (Welbeck).

Also in the field is Gregor MacKintosh (Girvan) and the new West of Scotland boys’ strokeplay champion Colin Robinson (Largs).

lBARASSIE'S Alex Glennie lost in the semi finals of the Scottish Senior Women's Amateur Matchplay Championship at the Montgomery course at Kinross.

The former Ayrshire ladies champion was beaten 6&4 by the eventual winner, Heather Anderson (Alyth), after qualifying for the matchplay stages from the strokeplay event earlier in the week. Anderson beat Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) in the final by 5&3.

lBALLOCHMYLE are on course for the semi-finals of the Ayrshire Summer League.

In league one, a 5-1 home win over Belleisle boosted Ballochmyle's lead while Prestwick St Cuthbert beat Caprington 4-2 for their first win. Points: Ballochmyle 16, Belleisle 8, St Cuthbert 4, Caprington 4.

In league two, Troon St. Meddans and Loudoun are locked at the top after St. Meddans beat West Kilbride 4½-1½ and Loudoun beat Ardeer 4-2. Points: Loudoun 12, St Meddans 12, Ardeer 4, West Kilbride 4.

In league three, Kilbirnie hold a clear lead after a 5-1 home win over Annanhill. Points: Kilbirnie Place 16, Irvine 12, Ravenspark 4, Annanhill 0.

Beith lead league four and simply require Tam O’Shanter to avoid a 6-0 defeat in their final match at Kilmarnock Barassie to go through.

Any of three teams in league five could go through with two matches still to be decided. Points: Welbeck 6, Largs 6, New Cumnock 4. Games to go: Welbeck v New Cumnock; New Cumnock v Largs.

lA BUMPER field will tee off in the Ayrshire Seniors Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie) on Tuesday, July 21. Holder Ronnie Potts (Ravenspark) defends the Sandy Provan Trophy, awarded for the best net score.

Order of play: 0900: R.J. Bruce (Barassie), J. Waddell (Barassie), W.B. Buchanan (Roy Troon); 0910:- J.C. Richardson (Caprgtn), E. Sanderson (Muirkirk), J. Brown (Stewarton); 0920: G. Semple (Stewarton), W. Burns (Muirkirk), R. Young (Irvine); 0950: J. Broadfoot (Tberry), C. Greer (West Kilb), O. Hollywood (Troon Port).

1000: D. Love (West Kilb), R. Potts (Ravenspark), A. Muir (Caprington); 1010: C. McGregor (Ravenspark), W. McMahon (Irvine), C. Francis (Welbeck); 1020: G. Harrison (Caprington), D. Hollingworth (Belleisle), J.L. Wilkie (West Kilb); 1040: G. Barnes (Caprington), J. Gray (St N), J. McFarlane (Ravenspark); 1050: R. Harrison (Caprington), A. Cairns (Troon Portl), G. Robertson (West Kilb).

1120: J.W. Campbell (West Kilb), B. Sherwood (Machrie Bay), D. Taylor (Belleisle); 1130: D. Wilkinson (Corrie), H. Sim (Annanhill), R.S. Armour (West Kilb).

Late entries to Alasdair Malcolm (tel: 01292 477657) or by e-mail at ayrshiregolf@fsmail.net