Bon Accord win first tie by two holes but lose the second by five

HAZLEHEAD WIN MAITLAND SHIELD

FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2001

 

 

Left to right: Liam Strath, Greig Kennedy, Jack Pirie, Greg Ingram and Alasdair Macgregor who stood in for the unavailable Ingram in the victory over Royal Aberdeen on Tuesday night. Picture by courtesy of David Fleming (Portlethen).
 

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Hazlehead have won the 101st City of Aberdeen men's double foursomes for the Maitland Shield for the first time since 2001. They beat the favourites, Bon Accord, by an overall two holes in the final, played in wet conditions at Portlethen Golf Club tonight.

Bon Accord's lead-off pair, Matthew Greig and Neil Mitchell finished three holes up on Hazlehead's Liam Strath, pictured right, only 15 years old and unborn when the club last won the title, and Greig Kennedy, the same score as it was after nine holes.

But Hazlehead's second string of Jack Pirie and Greg Ingram wiped out the Bon Accord lead - and some - by finishing five up on Bon Accord's out-of-touch Barrie Edmond and Chris Somers.

In the first tie, Greig and Mitchell were five up after five holes and there was no way back for Strath and Kennedy although they did reduce their deficit to two holes after 14.

In the second tie, Pirie and Ingram were two up at the turn but lost the 10th. That could have been the turning point but Bon Accord did not win a single hole after that, going out of bounds twice and missing a short putt or two in the drizzle.

Hazlehead went two up at the 12th, three up at the 15th and won the last two holes, the 17th and 18th. These late successes provided the winning margin.

 

FINAL

Hazlehead bt Bon Accord by 2 holes

L Strath, G Kennedy 0, M Greig, N Mitchell 3.

J Pirie, G Ingram 5, B Edmond, C Somers 0.

Portlethen GC vice-capt David Fleming (left) presents the Maitland Shield to Hazlehead's "Famous Five" - Liam Strath, Greig Kennedy, Jack Pirie, Greg Ingram and Alasdair Macgregor. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

MAITLAND SHIELD WINNERS SINCE 1999

1999 Nigg Bay
2000 Murcar Links
2001 Hazlehead
2002 Caledonian
2003 Royal Aberdeen
2004 Royal Aberdeen
2005 Caledonian
2006 Newmachar
2007 Bon Accord
2008 Murcar Links
2009 Caledonian
2010 Murcar Links
2011 Bon Accord
2012 Murcar Links
2013 Bon Accord
2014 Murcar Links
2015 Newmachar
2016 Murcar Links
2017 Hazlehead