HAZLEHEAD v BON ACCORD IN MAITLAND

 

 SHIELD FINAL AT PORTLETHEN

 

   A happy Hazlehead team after their semi-final win over Caledonian. Left to right: Greig Kennedy, Liam Strath, Greg Ingram and Jack Pirie. Picture by courtesy of David Fleming (Portlethen GC)

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

It's going to be a Hazlehead v Bon Accord final on Friday (5pm) in the 101st City of Aberdeen men's double foursomes for the Maitland Shield at Portlethen Golf Club.

In tonight's semi-finals, Bon Accord knocked out the title-holders, Murcar Links, by five holes while Hazlehead beat Caledonian by two holes.

Bon Accord are bidding to win the trophy for a fourth time over the past 10 years. Barrie Edmond and Neil Mitchell have played in the winning Bon Accord teams of 2007, 2011 and 2013 while Matthew Greig appeared in the successful line-up of 2011.

 

"We've played well all week so we've just got to keep it going for one more night," said Edmond. "We were round in something like 69 tonight against Murcar Links.

Greig and Mitchell were one up for Bon Accord at the turn against Adrian Styles and Bryan Innes and that was their winning margin at the end of the round.

Edmond and Chris Somers, whose father played for previous Bon Accord teams, were two up at the turn against Murcar Links' Anthony Bews and Ronnie Brechin and they doubled that advantage to finish four up.

Hazlehead have not been Maitland Shield champions since 2001 but they have a useful combination this year, including Royal Aberdeen among their victims this week.

Greig Kennedy and 15-year-old Liam Strath, Hazlehead's lead pair, finished two up on Caley's Stewart Finnie and Alan Doig, both former Links champions. after being three up at the turn.
"We started poorly, losing the first, the third and then seven, eight and nine," said Finnie.

The second-string match between Hazlehead's Jack Pirie and Greg Ingram and Caley's Matty Beattie finished all square. Beattie and Reid had been one up at the turn.

 

     Bon Accord team, bidding for a fourth Maitland Trophy success in 10 years. Left to right: Matthew Greig, Neil Mitchell, Barrie Edmond and Chris Somers. Picture by courtesy of David Fleming (Portlethen GC).

TONIGHT'S RESULTS
 

SEMI-FINALS

Hazlehead bt Caledonian by 2 holes
 (L Strath, G Kennedy 2, S Finnie, A Doig 0; J Pirie, G Ingram 0, M Beattie, B Reid 0).

 

Bon Accord bt Murcar Links by 5 holes
(M Greig, N Mitchell 1, A Styles, B Innes 0; B Edmond, C Somers 4, A Bews, R Brechin 0).


HOW THEY GOT TO THE FINAL
                             
HAZLEHEAD
Beat Royal Aberdeen by 3 holes
Beat Craibstone at 19th
Beat Caledonian by 2 holes.

BON ACCORD
Beat Deeside by 9 holes
Beat Northern by 7 holes
Beat Murcar Links by 5 holes

 

Matthew Greig (Bon Accord), watched by Murcar Links opponents Adrian Styles and Bryan Innes (right) in action on the 10th tee  this evening. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency

 

 

 

Murcar Links' Ronnie Brechin on the tee at the short 10th. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.