Farmer wins Renfrewshire stroke-play championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION
By DON BREMNER
The cream of Renfrewshire Golf Union’s 23 courses gathered at Erskine Golf Club to fight it out over two rounds in this year’s County Stroke Play Championship. Weather conditions were perfect and the club had set up the course to be demanding but fair.
In the morning round, youth team member and 2008 Match Play Champion, Michael Campbell from Renfrew GC led the field with a great round of 68, closely followed by Greenock’s David Macfarlane (69) and Kilmacolm’s Andrew Farmer (70). Another four players were challenging with level par rounds of 71 – Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm), Murray Stewart (Ranfurly Castle), Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) and current Youth Match Play Champion Jordan Grant (Renfrew).
Early afternoon challenges came from Matthew Clark who added another level par round for a total of 142 and from Erskine member Ronnie Clark who was two under par – 69 – to add to his mornings 73 for another 142. A play off was on the cards until Jamie Alexander from Whinhill GC hit the top of the leader board with a second round score of 69 to add to his morning round of 72 for an aggregate of 141.
Andrew Farmer was still out on the course and the 2009 Scottish Mid Amateur Champion, who won both Stroke Play and Match Play County Championships in 2006, was just short of the 18th green needing a birdie to match his morning’s 70 and take the championship. Under pressure, he hit a great chip to four feet and sank the putt to become the 2010 Stroke Play Champion.
Picture above shows Don Bremner, RGU President, Andrew Farmer and Erskine Captain Finlay MacLellan