Ayrshire name under 18 team for West of Scotland inter county league

May 27 2011 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

AYRSHIRE have named a strong team to play Glasgow at Largs on Sunday in the opening match of the West of Scotland Inter County Under 18 League for the Wishart Trophy.

The team is Euan Walker, Callum Gorrie, Euan Henderson (all Kilmarnock Barassie), David Wilson, Callum Beveridge, Louis Murray (all Welbeck), Jack McCuskey (Belleisle) and Greg Telfer (St Cuthbert).

The first match tees off at 11am. The remaining matches are; June 19: Renfrewshire at Ranfurly Castle; July 10: Stirlingshire at Falkirk; August 21: Lanarkshire at Skelmorlie; September 11: Dunbartonshire at Lenzie.

lROYAL Troon’s Michael Smyth leads the chase for the Doc Thom Ayrshire Order of Merit after the first three counting events.

A share of first place in the Ayrshire strokeplay, first place in the Ayrshire matchplay and a share of second place in the Hillhouse Cup at Royal Troon has given Smyth 262½ points.

Second is Ayrshire strokeplay champion Jamie Mackay (Kilmarnock Barassie) with 187½ points from two of the three events played, while Scott McCahill (Maybole), who won the Hillhouse Cup, is third on 100.

McCahill was the only player who broke 80 in difficult conditions, three ahead of Smyth and Mackay.

The next counting event is the Scottish Strokeplay Championship at Blairgowrie from Friday to Sunday followed by the Loudoun Open on Saturday, June 4 and the Belleisle Cup the following day.

lFIVE Ayrshire players are in the field for the Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship at Blairgowrie from Friday to Sunday.

Scottish amateur champion Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) is joined by clubmate and reigning Ayrshire boys champion Charlie Macneal who has recently returned from his first year at university in America.

From Royal Troon comes Ayrshire matchplay champion Michael Smyth and former Ayrshire champion of champions trophy winner Paul Moultrie.

Also included is former Ayrshire matchplay champion Scott Brown from Turnberry.

lAYRSHIRE county champion Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies) battled to the last 16 of the matchplay stages of the Scottish ladies championship at Machrihanish before losing 3&2 to Louise Kenney (Pitreavie).

Rachael was Ayrshire's qualifier for the knockout stages after rounds of 78 and 83 to finish 11 behind leader Kelsey McDonald (Nairn Dunbar).

lHEAVY rain resulted in Saturday's SGU Junior Tour event at Rowallan Castle being reduced from 72 to 36 holes.

Players completed their morning rounds on Saturday but the afternoon round was abandoned due to flooding.

Hopes of playing 36 holes on Sunday were also dashed but competitors were able to complete one round with the result being decided over the 36 holes.

Bob McIntyre (Glencruitten) won the curtailed event with a two round 146. Best Ayrshire player was boys' internationalist Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) who finished 10th on 154.

Charlie Macneal (Welbeck) and Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) finished tied 11th on 155, 13 over par while Scottish boys' champion David Wilson (Welbeck) was 34th on 166.

lHOLDER Tommy McInally (Loudoun) is the first through to the third round of the Ayrshire Champion of Champions after beating William McCulloch (Brunston).

First round results: Ewan McKinnon (Corrie) beat Scott Martin (Crosshouse); Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay) beat Neil McCormack (New Cumnock); Robbie Fulker (Barassie) beat Tony Fraser (Annanhill); Barry O'Rourke (Kilbirnie) beat Jamie McCormack (Dalmilling); John Sloan (Doon Valley) beat Thomas Smith (Wallacetown); Keith Hamilton (Belleisle) beat Alan Poole (St Nicholas); Robert Marshall (Beth) beat Iain McKenzie (Saxone); Johnny O'Neill (North Beach) beat Phillip Reilly (Ayr Carrick); Alan Connery (Irvine) beat Andy Carroll (Drongan); Robert McKenzie (Skelmorlie) beat Iain McDonald (Largs); Scott Brown (Turnberry) beat Keith Grant (Ballochmyle); Alan Mulholland (Moorpark) beat Steven Little (Glacier); Steven McEwan (Caprington) beat Kevin Fergusson (St Cuthbert); Stevie Dunn (Seafield) beat Stuart Angus (Muirkirk); Tom Reid (Stewarton) beat Gavin Stuart (Braehead); Paul Giffney (Ardeer) beat Andrew Armstrong (Auchenharvie).

Second round ties, due by June 5, are: McKinnon v Pennycott; Fulker v O'Rourke; Sloan v Hamilton; Marshall v O'Neill; Connery v McKenzie; Brown v Mulholland; McEwan v Dunn; Reid v Giffney; Ewan McKenzie (St Meddans) v Stephen Murray (Welbeck); Adam Sweeney (Routenburn) v John Duff (West Kilbride); Ricky Tait (The Chase) v Keiran Reid (Alton); Gary Bryden (Girvan) v Kevin Lammie (Troon Portland); Hugh Connor (Malletsheugh) v Craig Robertson (Abbotsford); John Haggarty (Loudoun) v Scott McCahill (Maybole); Willie McGill (Ravenspark) v Martin Moore (Tam O'Shanter).