Jack Currie wins Renfrewshire Boys Match Play Championship
Jack Currie – County Boys Matchplay Champion
This was played at Kilmacolm Golf Club where the family associated with the club presented the Freedman Trophy due to the long standing family connection with the club.
This year it was special that on the day of the competition many family members,brepresenting 3 generations associated with the Freedman Trophy were able to be present and to present the Trophy, including those who had travelled from Canada.
The Renfrewshire Golf Union thanked them for their continued support of the event.
The weather on the day was as good as you get in Scotland at this time of the year.
The semi-finals and final were held on Sunday 4th September much later than usual, due to the fact that the original qualifying had to be rearranged and the players were then left to organize the preliminary rounds themselves.
In the Semi Finals Stewart Percy – Caldwell faced Cairan O’Brien – Old Course Ranfurly, while Jack Currie – Greenock faced Aidan O’Hagan Old Course Ranfurly.
While both semi-finals finished with the same result – 6/5 victories for Stewart and Jack the result did not truly reflect the play by their opponents, both were up against players on the top of their form.
The prospect of a great final was always on the cards as the 2 Renfrewshire County Boys Team Players battled for the victory, and the crowd were not to be disappointed.
First blood to Stewart with a birdie at the second can cancelled out by a birdie from Jack at the third. A lost ball, at the fourth by Jack and the one hole lead was restored. Jack hit back with a birdie at the fifth and won the sixth with a par. After a half in par at the seventh, Stewart made birdie at the eighth, to square the game, but a poor approach at 9 saw him lose the hole to par, Jack Currie 1 up at the turn.
Both made birdie at 10 but Stewart with an excellent approach iron at the par 5 eleventh to the green gave him the chance for an eagle 3 which he took, the birdie by Jack not good enough!!
Both made par at the next hole, but a poor pitch at 13 by Stewart saw Jack win the hole with par. The next 2 holes were halved. Jack played first to the green at 16 and almost holed his second shot, ending up 2 feet from the hole and his birdie was good enough to win the hole to be 2 up with 2 to play.
Both hit good tee shots to the par 3, 17th but into the wind they came up short and with nothing to lose Stewart went for his birdie but failed, Jack played safe and with a concession by Stewart the game was over, Jack Currie winning by 3/1.
The game was played in the best of spirits as you would expect from 2 RGU Team Players, just a shame in such a great scoring game that someone had to lose.
Jack now goes to University to study Accounting while Stewart continues his golfing life with a placement at the University of the Highlands and Islands based at Dornoch, we wish them both well in the future.
Final Result –
Jack Currie – Greenock beat Stewart Percy – Caldwell 3/1