Renfrewshire boys start with 5-3 home win over Ayrshire at Erksine

 

RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION PRESS RELEASE

kgmcgee@hotmail.com

Renfrewshire Boys Golf Team started the defence of the West League Title which they have won for the past 2 years with a 5-3 win at home against Ayrshire at Erskine Golf Club today.

The course was in great condition although with the recent dry spell and cold wind the playing conditions were difficult with greens being very firm. Conditions were made more difficult as play was with a strong east wind which made ball control quite difficult.

Due to the non availability of a number of under-18 players Renfrewshire were forced into some last minute changes, in addition to having to play an under-16 player at under-18.

We knew that this would be a tough match as the Ayrshire boys are very strong at Under 18.

Early indications were that Ayrshire were struggling with the conditions and through eight holes were down in five matches and  up in only one.

Aidan O’Hagan lost the first hole but was in sparkling form producing a string of birdies to beat his opponent 8 and 7.

Euan McNeill played solid golf against a somewhat out of sorts Euan Milligan and won by 7 and 6, revenge for the heavy defeat Milligan inflicted on Aidan O’Hagan last year.

Roddy McAuley was next to show and played good golf from the eighth onwards and ran out a winner by 4 and 3.

Cameron Johnstone and Jonny Murphy were never behind and both found themselves three up with three  to play with both winning on the 17^th green.

Greg McCaffer was in a see-saw battle against a formidable opponent in Jack Broun and did have the lead on several occasions but eventually experience told and he lost by 2 and 1.

Kenan Ingram got off to a bad start and found himself three down after three holes. However he fought back well and by the twelfth he was all square. The effort however was to prove too much and he lost the next four holes to lose by 4 and 2.

The final match saw the closest game of the day, with Ibrahim Hussain going two up after three holes, a lead which he held into the back nine. He did however lose the 13 to go all square but won 14 to restore his lead. A poor drive blocked him out at 15 and he lost the hole. At the next hole Hussain failed to get up and down from just off the green and lost the hole to par.

Both 17 and 18 were halved in par figures to give victory to his opponent, Euan Ferguson, by one hole.

A good match played in the best of spirits.

RESULTS
Renfrewshire names first

 RENFREWSHIRE 5, AYRSHIRE 3

Jonathan Murphy (Erskine) bt Sean Addie (Ayr Belleisle) 3 and 1.

Cameron Johnstone (Eastwood) bt Ruben Lindsay (Ayr Belleisle) 2 and 1.

Roddy McAuley (Fereneze) bt Ross McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 4 and 3,

Aidan O’Hagan (Old Course Ranfurly) bt John McCracken (Irvine Bogside) 8 and 7

Greg McCaffer (Whitecraigs) lost to Jack Broun (Turnberry)  2 and 1.

Euan McNeill (Lochwinnoch) bt Ewan Milligan (Kilmarnock Barassie) 7 and 6.

Kenan Ingram (Port Glasgow) lost to Robbie Muir (Kilmarnock Barassie) 4 and 2.

Ibrahim Hussain (Eastwood) lost to Euan Ferguson (Turnberry) 1 hole

 

Graham McGee
 Press Officer
 Renfrewshire Golf Union