Renfrewshire Boys win at Erskine Golf Course
Renfrewshire Boys Golf Team started the defence of the West League Title which they have won for the past 2 years with a win at home against Ayrshire at Erskine Golf Club on Sunday 30th April.
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 under18.
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 8 holes were down in 5 matches and only up in 1.
Aidan O’Hagan lost the first hole but was in sparkling form producing a string of birdies to beat his opponent 8/7.
Euan McNeill was playing solid golf against a somewhat out of sorts Euan Milligan and won by 7/6, 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 8th onwards and ran out a winner by 4/3.
Cameron Johnstone and Jonny Murphy were never behind and both found themselves 3 up with 3 to play with both winning on the 17th 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 2/1.
Kenan Ingram got off to a bad start and found himself 3 down after 3. 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 4 holes to lose by 4/2.
The final match saw the closest game of the day, with Ibrahim Hussain going 2 up after 3 holes a lead which he held into the back nine. He did however lose 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. 16 was the turning point where he 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.
A good match played in the best of spirits.
Full results as Follows – Renfrewshire names first –
Jonathan Murphy – Erskine beat Sean Addie Ayr Belleisle – 3/1
Cameron Johnstone – Eastwood beat Ruben Lindsay – Ayr Belleisle – 2/1
Roddy McAuley – Fereneze beat Ross McDonald – Kilmarnock Barassie – 4/3
Aidan O’Hagan – Old Course Ranfurly beat John McCracken – Irvine Bogside – 8/7
Greg McCaffer – Whitecraigs lost to Jack Broun – Turnberry – 2/1
Euan McNeill – Lochwinnoch beat Ewan Milligan – Kilmarnock Barassie – 7/6
Kenan Ingram – Port Glasgow lost to Robbie Muir – Kilmarnock Barassie – 4/2
Ibrahim Hussain – Eastwood lost to Euan Ferguson – Turnberry 1 hole