FALTERING START FOR RENFREWSHIRE BOYS

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION
In the first of the inter area matches, Renfrewshire Golf Union had a home match at Ranfurly Castle Golf Club with Glasgow Golf Union as their opponents.
In the first game, Paul Reilly (Lochwinnoch) got the season off to a solid start with a 2 and 1 victory over Craig Anderson. Tom Binning then used home course knowledge to raise hopes of an easy victory. Elderslie’s Alasdair McDougall, fresh from his solid run in the Scottish Boys’, found himself 3 down with four to play and clawed his way back to all square going down the last. A hook and a lost ball saw off his challenge.
Jamie Savage from Cawder Golf Club, a rising star was just to good for Fraser Lauder (Paisley) who lost by one hole and, having started so well, Renfrewshire went behind when the usually reliable Stewart Watt (Old Ranfurly) had a serious off day against Pollock’s Patrick O’Neill shaking hands at the 14th hole – it’s a long way to the clubhouse from there! Again, local boy, Josh Bogle showed that knowing the course can be a key element when he recorded a 3 and 2 victory over Scott Wearing (Bishopriggs) and Scottish Internationalist, Andrew McLachlan (Bonnyton) then strode into a three hole lead after six holes and eventually won 2 and 1 despite a strong challenge from David Gallagher (Glasgow).
Leading by one game, convenors Graham McGee and Gary Havlin then bit finger nails as they watched last minute substitute, Andrew Cunningham, Boys’ Champion at Ranfurly Castle, fight it out with Calum McLean (Cowglen) – a seasoned campaigner. In a game where there was never more than one hole in it, it was all square coming down the last. Both boys found the green and it was McLean who sank his putt for a birdie. A draw and only one point for Renfrewshire.