Doon Valley’s James Graham battles back to reach Ayrshire champions final

Aug 10 2012 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

DOON VALLEY’S James Graham will meet former Scotland internationalist Steven McEwan (Caprington) in the final of the Ayrshire champion of champions competition at Royal Troon on Friday at 5pm.

Graham battled back from four down after four in the semis to beat Euan Brown (Kilmarnock Barassie) by one hole.

McEwan was given a free ticket to the final after Gordon Boyle (Ayr Belleisle) conceded after being unavailable to play due to a misunderstanding of dates.

lEUAN WALKER (Kilmarnock Barassie) is the Ayrshire boys' champion after finishing three stokes clear of holder Callum Beveridge (Welbeck) at Largs last Thursday.

Walker led from start to finish following a superb three under 70 in the first round, the only round sub par returned by the entire field during the competition.

Beveridge kept the pressure on Walker in round one, returning a level par 70 after an albatross two at the par five third. Stuart Easton (Irvine) was third on 150, two ahead of Greg Telfer (St Cuthbert).

Net: Jack Thomas (Irvine) (2) 147; Marc Reid (St Cuthbert) (4) 149; Rudi Marshall (Welbeck) (5) 150.

The matchplay opened at Prestwick on Tuesday when ties were: Walker v Marshall; Thomas v Telfer; Reid v Easton; Darryl Lynch (Belleisle) v Beveridge.

The semi-finals were due on Wednesday with the final on Thursday (August 9).

lA FULL field contested the Belleisle Open sponsored by Reid Scott & Ross in association with Park's Saab & Suzuki on Sunday. The morning players had the best of the weather.

Keith Hamilton of the home club had the best of the scratch score of 66 but the winner of the Rozelle Trophy with a net 68 was Stephen Bell of Ayr Belleisle who won on count back from C Bell (Dalmilling), I MacCalman (Clober) and R Eccles (Maybole).

Thanks go to sponsors including Richard Gordon, Colin Hume, Slater Menswear, Dewars Scotch Whisky, Lime Green Estate Agents, Directional Letting, Pieronis Fish Merchants, The McKinstry Co, Market Inn, Danny McPherson, Chestnuts Hotel, Carrick Bathrooms, Prestwick Circuits GPS, Clyde Property, ACR Cash Register Systems, WG Walker & Co, Abbottsford Hotel and DW Shaw Solicitors.

A special thanks to Kevin and the team for an excellently prepared course.

lTHREE Ayrshire players battled to the last 32 of the Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch before all lost 2&1.

Charlie Macneal (Welbeck) lost to number one seed Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), Stuart Robin (St Nicholas) fell to Richard Docherty (Bearsden) while Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) went out to Fraser Moore (Glenbervie).

lCRAIG HAMILTON (Ballochmyle) leads the chase for the Doc Thom Salver and Ayrshire Order of Merit.

He is pursued by David Wilson (Welbeck) with Keith Hamilton (Ayr Belleisle) in third place.

lTOMMY McInally of Loudoun Gowf Club set a new amateur course record at Girvan on Sunday. And his fabulous 58 gave him victory in Girvan Golf Club’s open competition for the Stevenson Trophy.

More than 100 golfers from 16 different clubs teed off in the big annual event.

Willie McMeikan of Girvan Golf Club was runner-up with 59, followed by David Wilson of Troon Welbeck and Craig Hamilton of Ballochmyle both on 60.

Paul Brown (18)58 of Girvan Golf Club won the handicap section, followed by Stephen Simpson, also of Girvan on (8)59, and John Wood of Brunston on (5)60.

lAFTER leading at the halfway stage by three shots, Billy Wallace (St Cuthbert) finished runner-up at the Scottish Super Seniors Championship at Nairn Dunbar.

He followed an opening 71 with a 79 to trail four shots behind winner Robin Paton (Nairn).

lSTUART MANLEY won the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters by one shot from Michael McGeady and Oliver Farr at Rowallan Castle.

Manley (Machynys Peninsula) shot a three-under-par 68 in the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event to conclude his 54 holes seven shots under par.