HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR LOCALS IN STROKE PLAY
  

BUT SCOTTISH ELITE SQUAD DID BADLY TOO
 

The three Clackmannan golfers in the Scottish stroke-play championship at Kilmarnock Barassie at the weekend missed out on good performances.   Best chance came from Dollar's Scott Borrowman who made the cut with rounds of 70 and 76.

However, a third round of 85 sent him down the field and although he recovered with a 75, his four round total of 14 over par, was well behind the  French winner on 10 under.  

Lawrence Allan(Alva) just missed the cut with rounds of 76 and 73. His first round left him too much to do. Alloa's Jamie Aitken, joining the field as a last minute entry, started with a one-over-par 74, which was pretty good in the circumstances, but he then fell away in the second round.  

While all three must have been disappointed, it was even worse for the Scottish elite golfers  with many missing the cut and only one finishing in the top ten.

GREAT GOLF IN THE COUNTY MATCH PLAY

The spectators who watched the first and second round ties were treated to some quality golf in the Clackmann county match-play championship.  In the first round, three ties went past the 18th with nerves being tested to the full. Last year's champion Scott Moffat (Braehead) had a close game against clubmate Jim Muir. 

All square after 16 and when Scott went one up at the 17th when Jim hit trouble, and then reached the putting surface, it looked all over but a three- putt by Scott took the match to extra holes, and he won through at the 21st with a good up and down from a greenside bunker. 

In the all-Braehead battle, Ross Benvie won easily against county boys' champion Rikky Alexander, and there was another titanic battle between experienced campaigner Steven Horne and Allan Watson. Watson won at the 20th.

Darren Hulston was three up after six against Ian Guthrie and won on the 15th. The in–form county captain Jamie Aitken cruised into the second round with a 5 and 3 win.

In the second round, Scott Moffat had another marathon, winning at the 23rd, and Braehead’s David Findlay recorded his second win by one hole.

 The Championship is completed this week with the semi-finals and final.

FULL RESULTS--- ROUND 1 (Braehead)

 Ross Benvie (Braehead) bt Rikky Alexander (Braehead) 5 and 3

 Jamie Aitken (Alloa) bt Sandy Douglas (Alloa) 5 and 3

 Allan Watson (Braehead) bt Steven Horne (Tulliallan) at 20th

 Scott Moffat (Braehead) bt Jim Muir (Braehead) at 21st

 Darren Hulston (Dollar) bt Ian Guthrie (Alloa) 4 and 3.

 Barry Cousins (Alloa) bt David Beaton (Braehead) at 19th

 Peter Shearer (Dollar) bt Michael Robertson (Alloa) 2 and 1. 

 David Findlay (Braehead) bt David Milloy (Alloa) 1 hole

ROUND 2  (DOLLAR)

 Aitken w.o. Benvie scr

 Moffat beat Watson at 23rd

 Hulston beat Cousins 2 and 1.

 Findlay beat Shearer 1 hole

 Semi-final line up, to be played at Tillicoultry

  Aitken v Moffat,   Hulston v Findlay.

Final at Alloa.

  LOCAL EVENT COMING UP

 June 9: Campbell Stoddart Trophy (Tulliallan)

   Regretfully Alloa had to cancel the Patton Trophy Mixed Foursomes last weekend (the Jubilee) due to lack of entries.