Hugh Hunter's Clackmannan County News Round-up

MORE DRAMA AT COUNTY FOURS

Officially the tournament is the” County Club Foursomes Tournament”, and has been run by Clackmannan County Golf Union for close on 80 years. The original scoring system has been retained----- not liked by some--- but usually guarantees well fought nail biting matches. Each Club provides 3 couples to play foursomes and they play the full 18 holes. The aggregate of holes up and down decides the winning team--- a true team game, not like mist other golf matches which are the sum of individual performances. The closing stages can be a great test of nerve, and so it was in both the first round ties last week played at Tillicoultry
The first match put Braehead against Tulliallan---- after 9 holes all three matches were even a few holes later Tulliallan held a clear advantage, but the Braehead team fought back in a spirited way such that all three matches were square on the 18th tee. Braehead took match 2 by one hole, so it was left to Ross Benvie and Andrew Borek to secure a half which they duly did when Andrew holed a good 4 ft putt on the last green to take their team through to face Alloa in the semi-finals.
In the other first round tie, holders Dollar looked to be in command after the first nine with a two hole lead. On the second nine, Tillicoultry couple John Gullen and Jim Malcolm fought back from 3 down with an inward nine of 32 to take their game by one hole. Dollar’s second couple of Vic Allan and Charlie Murray produced a solid performance--- 1 up at the turn finishing 3 up. It was now advantage Dollar and again the
third couple of talented junior Kevin Ross with experienced Keith Watson got the necessary half on the last green to finish 2 up and take the teams into a sudden death play off. John Gullen and Jim Malcolm took Tillicoultry through (to meet Alva in the semi-final) on the first extra hole when Dollar found some greenside trouble.
MATCH RESULTS.
ROUND 1
BRAEHEAD V TULLIALLAN (Braehead names first)
1. Sandy Douglas /David Beaton all square with Phil Dempsey/Gordon Lyons
2. Kevin Tainsh/Jim Muir 1 up on Neil McGeehan/Graham Miller
3. Andrew Borek/Ross Benvie all square with Mark Crichton/Bob Stewart
BRAEHEAD WIN BY 1 HOLE

ROUND 1 TILLICOULTRY V DOLLAR (Tillicoultry names first)
1. John Gullen/Jim Malcolm 1 up on Darren Hulston/Scott Chalmers
2. Scott Baird/ Andrew McPherson 3 down to Vic Allan /Charlie Murray
3. Kevin Ross/Keith Watson 2up on Gary Chalmers/Steven McPherson
MATCH ALL SQUARE---- TILLICOULTRY win 19th hole with a par four

The semi-finals and final will be fully reported next week .

NO SUCCESS THIS WEEK FOR TOP COUNTY GOLFERS

No headlines this week --- Tulliallan’s Callum Macaulay missed the cut in the Turkish Airlines challenge last week with rounds of 74 and 73. Looking for a better score, Callum will be playing in Brittany France this week in the Allianz Open.
In the 36 hole Junior Tour event held at Forrester Park, Alva’s Lawrence Allan finished in 13th place in a field of 39 with rounds of 73 and 79 for an 8 over par finish, 7 shots behind the winner. Lawrence started brilliantly with a 2 under par outward nine of 34 in Round 1, but dropped 3 shots to par on the inward nine. This gave a 73 which he couldn’t repeat in the afternoon round, still a fairly good performance to earn more points in the Boys Order of Merit.
Lawrence tackles the Monifieth course this week in the Scottish Youths Championship--- a 72 hole event with a cut after 2 rounds.
Also in action last week was Dollar’s Scott Borrowman and 2007 Youths Champion trying his luck in the Pro XL Tec professional tournament at Hilton Park. A two round aggregate of 151 left him well down the field and 18 shots behind the winner.