South of Scotland Golfers' Association Drennan Salver

    Dumfriesshire win title at Portpatrick

                                    Dumfriesshire team with the Drennan Salver

         Back row: Craig Scobie (Lochmaben), Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co), Chris Finnie (Lockerbie), Michael Grunwell (Dumfries and Galloway) capt.,  Andrew Kerr (Crichton), Ryan Johnston (Dumfries and Co).

          Front: Danny McConnachie (Dumfries and Co),  Allan Birdsall (Dumfries and Co).

REPORT FROM GRAEME SHARP

The Drennan Salver is a match-play competition between eight-man teams from Wigtownshire, Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. This year the competition was played at Portpatrick Golf Club on a beautiful sunny day with only light winds from the south in the morning. 

In the afternoon the wind changed to the north and increased in intensity but not enough to affect the excellent standard of golf produced by the competitors. The course had recovered well from the ravages of the winter weather and was in excellent condition. 

An exciting day of golf between 24 of the area’s best golfers was anticipated as the first four set off for the morning foursomes.

Dumfriesshire showed their intention early and got off to a great start by beating Wigtownshire by 1½ games to ½. In the match between Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire honours were even at one  game all while in the match between Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire, the Dumfriesshire team continued their good start by beating Kirkcudbrightshire 2-0.

In the afternoon singles Dumfriesshire whitewashed Wigtownshire 4-0. Wigtownshire again shared the honours with Kirkcudbrightshire at 2-2 and Dumfriesshire proved their superiority on the day by beating Kirkcudbrightshire 3-1. 

Dumfriesshire won the trophy by winning 10 games, halving one and losing only one. A remarkable effort, particularly as the only Dumfriesshire player to lose was the captain in his singles match!

RESULTS

Morning Foursomes

Wigtownshire ½, Dumfriesshire  1½

J Telfer and D McCreadie lost to M Grunwell and A Kerr 5 and 4

E Adamson and I Johnstone halved with C Scobie and C Finnie

Wigtownshire 1, Kirkcudbrightshire  1

C Bennewith and J Caldwell bt C Heuchan and C Riddick  4 and 3

R Hughan and A Chalmers lost to G Blayney and R Kerr 7 and 6

Dumfriesshire 2, Kirkcudbrightshire  0

L Johnstone and D McConnachie bt D King and R Murray 4 and 3

A Birdsall and R Johnstone bt A Bendall and M Kirkwood 4 and 3

Afternoon Singles

Wigtownshire 0, Dumfriesshire  4

C Bennewith lost to L Johnstone  4  and 3

J Caldwell lost to D McConnachie 2 holes

R Hughan lost to A Birdsall  3 and 2

A Chalmers lost to R Johnstone 3 and 2

Wigtownshire 2, Kirkcudbrightshire  2

J Telfer lost to D King 3 and 1

D McCreadie lost to R Murray 1 hole

E Adamson bt A Bendall 4 and 3

I Johnstone bt M Kirkwood 1 hole

Dumfriesshire 3  Kirkcudbrightshire  1

M Grunwell lost to C Heuchan 5 and 4

A Kerr bt C Riddick 1 hole

C Scobie bt G Blayney 2 and 1

C Finnie bt R Kerr 2 and 1

Match Result

Wigtownshire  ½ , Dumfriesshire 5½

Dumfriesshire 5, Kirkcudbrightshire 1

Wigtownshire 3, Kirkcudbrightshire 3