Sean Burns wins Renfrewshire Youths Match Play Championship
This was played at Renfrew Golf Club who presented the original George Duncan Memorial Trophy on a day when the weather held off allowing the players the best of overhead conditions.
The final was held on Saturday 3rd September as due to the fact that the original qualifying had to be rearranged due to adverse weather conditions, this also affected the playing of the match play rounds.
In the Final Sean Burns – Caldwell faced Stuart Thomas – Erskine.
The game started quietly with both players having solid pars at the first 2 holes.
Stuart however perhaps feeling the strain of having won the County Match Play Championship at Elderslie last week-end was not at his best and over the next few holes
decided on the bucket and spade route round the course, and with bunkers found at 3, 5, 6 and 8 he found he found himself 2 down at the turn having failed to get up and down on most occasions.
All in all the first 9 holes were very scrappy affairs from both players.
The game only came alive on the last 9 holes
Stuart won his first hole of the day at 10 when he hit the par 3 green while Sean missed the green to the left fluffed his pitch and it was back to 1 up.
However Stuart reciprocated at 11 with a poor pitch followed by another at 12 and Sean found himself 3 up. Sean missed the green at 13 and with a par by Stuart his lead was cut to 2. The 14th was shared in par, but the shot of the day was played by Stuart on the par 5 15th, where his 3rd shot hit the pin and sat 2 feet from the hole, for the only birdie of the game. The lead of Sean now reduced to 1 hole. At 16 Sean found the heart of the green, but Stuart from the centre of the fairway found the left hand bunker, again he failed to get up and down and Sean was 2 up and 2 to play. The 17th was played well by both players both having regulation 4‘s which left Sean victorious by 2/1.
This leaves Sean as one of a few people have won both the Boys and Youths Match Play Championships, as he was a winner of the Boys in 2014.
The final was as usual played in the true spirit of the game which is what the RGU expect of their player s at the top level.
Unfortunately Sean was not able to remain for the presentation of the George Duncan Memorial Trophy or to receive his winners voucher, but Stuart Thomas as runner up received his voucher and thanked the RGU for their organization of the event.
Final Result –
Sean Burns – Elderslie beat Stuart Thomas – Erskine – 2/1.