WHINHILLGOLFER WINS RENFREWSHIRE YOUTHS TITLE

Picture shows Kenneth Beacom, Renfrew Golf Club Captain and Anton with the trophy.RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION PRESS RELEASE
Donbremner@ranfurly9.freeserve.co.uk
Alex Ferguson from Paisley Golf Club and Whinhill Golf Club’s Anton O’Donnell were the finalists in the battle for the Duncan Trophy, Renfrewshire Golf Union’s Youth Match Play Championship.



In perfect conditions at Renfrew Golf Club, Anton had shown that he was on top form in the semi final when he got to the turn seven up on his opponent, Stephen Mullan from Greenock Golf Club. He then hit the pin at the short tenth but lost the hole when his ball bounced off the pin into a difficult position and he lost the hole. This merely postponed the inevitable and he recorded a 7 and 6 win.

Meanwhile, Alex was in trouble in his match against David Docherty from Bonnyton Golf Club. David was three up at the turn but Alex fought back and was all square as they played the eighteenth which Alex won for a one up victory.

It appeared that that tough battle had sapped Alex’s energy when Anton birdied the eighth and won the ninth to go two up. There was going to be no second recovery and Anton emerged as Junior Match Play Champion winning 5 and 4.

                                      Freedman Trophy finalists JOHN SCOTT WINS BOYS’ MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP


The semi finals and final of the Freedman Trophy were played at Kilmacolm Golf Club. In the first semi final, John Scott from East Renfrewshire faced Ranfurly Castle’s Andrew Cunningham. Having been 2 down with 4 to play, John once again did his Lazarus act with birdies at the fifteenth and sixteenth to take the match all the way to the twentieth where a birdie saw him through to the final.
The second semi final was much less dramatic with Lochwinnoch’s Paul Reilly being one over par when he recorded a victory over Stuart Watt (Old Ranfurly) at the sixteenth by 4 and 2.
Both finalists have had a solid start to the season. John made it through to the last eight at the Scottish Boys at Dunbar and finished third in the County Stroke Play competition. He was third at the recent Scottish Boys Area Team Championship scoring 70 over the tough Hayston course.
Paul is the 2011 Renfrewshire Champion of Champions and also represented Renfrewshire at the Boys Area Team Championship.
In the final, John was never behind. He took the lead at the first and, despite Paul's best efforts; he was 4 up after fourteen holes. Paul fought back with a great birdie at the fifteenth but John stuck to his task and recorded a 4 and 2 victory to become champion.


Picture shows Paul Reilly and John Scott