Renfrewshire boys beat Lanarkshire at Carnwath

RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION NEWS RELEASE 
kgmcgee@hotmail.com

Renfrewshire boys' golf team continued the defence of the West League title which they have won for the past two years with a 5-3 win away against Lanarkshire at Carnwath Golf Club today.

The course was in great condition, although with the dense rough just off the fairways any wayward shot was heavily penalised. This is a course that none of the Renfrewshire boys had played before and the undulations and strong wind made play difficult, but the boys settled well to the task.

Renfrewshire only made one change from the previous game, bringing in Aidan Reid to replace Kenan Ingram.

We knew that this would be a tough match as Lanarkshire are the reigning Scottish boys' area team champions.

Once again, due to the non-availability of a number of under -18 players, Renfrewshire were forced to play an under-16 player.

Just like the previous game against Ayrshire, the Renfrewshire boys appeared to cope better with the conditions and as the games came through the 10^th hole Renfrewshire were up in six games and only down in two with all games being either 2 or 3 up.

Cameron Johnstone was in great form and recorded the first win by 5 and 4. This was quickly followed by the recently crowned Scottish U14 boys champion Aidan O’Hagan winning by 4 and 3.

Roddy McAuley was next to show and played good golf from the 8^th onwards and ran out a winner by 3 and 2 which meant that the first three under-16 boys were home and dry.

Jonny Murphy, despite being three up after 10 and playing conservative golf, decided to change his tactics and use his driver, which was to prove his downfall and he lost the last two holes to lose by one hole.

New cap Aidan Reid never got into the swing of things against a steady opponent and went down by 4 and 3.

Greg McCaffer, once again thrown in at the deep end, was up against one of the Lanarkshire top boys and despite his best efforts eventually ran out of steam and went down by 4 and 3.

The match, at 3-3 overall, now depended on the last two games.

In the top game Ibrahim Hussain faced Greg Dalziel, beaten semi-finalist in the Scottish boys championship last year, and showed just how much he has improved by playing very steadily to win by 4 and 3, a great result for him after his one- hole loss in the previous match.

The final match was a nerve jangler for all watching. Euan McNeill, three up at the turn, had a few see-saw holes in the back nine and lost 15 to be one up with three to play. A good half at 16, so no change, but he found a poor lie in a fairway bunker off 17 and had to play out and lost the hole.

Neither player played the 18^th well with Euan on the fairway off the tee and his opponent in the trees. Both hit poor second shots and neither found the green with their third shots. Euan hit a poor pitch to some 15 feet from the hole and his opponent also poor to about 10 feet. Euan however holed his putt which only just made the hole and victory was secure, and his opponent missed to increase the victory margin.

 RESULTS:

Renfrewshire names first

RENFREWSHIRE 5, LANARKSHIRE 3

Jonathan Murphy (Erskine) lost to Nicholas Fagan (Bothwell) 1 hole

Cameron Johnstone (Eastwood) bt Lewis Graham (Hamilton) 5 and 4

Roddy McAuley (Fereneze) bt Fraser Merryweather (Carluke) 3 and 2

Aidan O’Hagan (Old Course Ranfurly) bt Ewan Graham (Hamilton) 4 and 3

Greg McCaffer (Whitecraigs) lost to Scott McPherson (Bothwell) 4 and 3

Euan McNeill (Lochwinnoch) bt Scott Thomson (Drumpellier) 1 hole

Aidan Reid (Whitecraigs) lost to Jack Emerson (East Kilbride) 4 and 3

Ibrahim Hussain (Eastwood) bt Greg Dalziel (Airdrie) 4 and 3

Graham McGee

Press Officer

Renfrewshire Golf Union