Local golf round-up:

Jun 29 2012 by Jean Pedder, Stirling Observer Friday

DESPITE the weather, all the knock-out rounds were completed in Stirling’s championship week, culminating in the finals on Saturday.

Although the finalists had to face very cool and windy conditions, some excellent golf was played.

The gents’ section Club Championship Trophy was contested by the two lowest handicappers in the club, Kevin Brunton and Iain Munro. Between them they had won nine previous championships and there was never more than one hole between them.

In the afternoon Iain found his touch on the greens and never looked back after holing long putts at the 3rd and 5th holes. Five birdies in nine holes gave him a decisive lead and he eased to a five and four win to clinch his fourth title.

The senior championship was won by the in-form Robert Sneddon, who recorded a fine win over past champion David Smith.

The handicap final featured two new names, Stephen Hogg and John Philliben. Stephen had won the handicap strokeplay championship thanks to a second-round 65 but it was John who prevailed on the day.

In the ladies’ section there are three trophies to be won. The bronze championship is played over a number of knock-out rounds. Players with a handicap of 21 or above are eligible but play “off the bare feet”. Moneena Peebles and Jacky Farrell reached the final, with Jacky emerging victorious in the very difficult conditions.

In the handicap championship the final was between Frances Oxburgh (25) and Jayne McKenzie (15). Jayne had a lead but Frances came back strongly and took the match to the 18th hole, where Jayne held on to win one up.

The main Ladies’ Championship is played off scratch. This year the finalists were Linda Mathewson and Vicki Stevenson, a re-run of the final two years ago. Vicki went ahead early on but Linda was one up by the turn. The match went to the 19th and Linda’s steady play and good putting won the day.

STIRLING LADIES

FIVE-Club fun competition on June 19, results: 1 Linda Mathewson 77, 2 Lorna Donaldson 78, 3 Sandra Kerr 79 (countback). Magic two: Moneena Peebles.

BRIDGE OF ALLAN

SATURDAY was the second round of the Club Championship and Oliphant qualifier: A class 1 Stuart Kerr 74-9-65 bih, 2 Mike Smith 72-7-65, 3 Callum Gordon 72-6-66; B class 1 Ricky McConnell 84-18-66 bih, 2 Tom Wallace 80-14-6, 3 Jason Malley 84-17-67.

The finals will be held this Saturday with a family barbeque and party afterwards. There are still some places available for the gents’ senior open (over-55s) on July 4. Contact the club.

DUNBLANE

THE early stages of the matchplay for Club Championship week were completed in ideal conditions but it was all to good to be true and on Thursday the semi-finals had to be abandoned when the rain returned with some vengeance.

However, the semi-finals were played Saturday morning and the Championship final – reduced to 18 holes – on Saturday afternoon.

Blair Carnegie retained the title he won last year when he holed a birdie putt on the 22nd to defeat Andrew Grant in an excellent final.

Andrew took an early lead with a birdie at the first but birdies at 3 and 4 put Blair ahead and further wins at 5 and 9 meant Blair reached the turn three up. Andrew won 10 and 11 then holed a birdie putt at 18 to take the match into extra holes. The first three were halved before Blair won the 4th.

Both the number one and two seeds were taken to an extra hole in the first round before edging through.

Round one: C Buist bt C Gater 19th, D Shields bt C MacLachlan 4/2, B Carnegie bt G Whitelaw 3/2, R Moore bt K Wilkie 5/4, B Deakin bt W Wilson 5/3, C O’Connor bt G J McIntyre 4/2, G McIntyre bt R Mailer 7/6, A Grant bt D Morrison 19th.

Round two: Buist bt Shields 5/4, Carnegie bt Moore 4/2, Deakin Bt O’Connor 9/8, Grant bt McIntyre 5/3. Semi-finals: Carnegie bt Buist 3/2, Grant bt Deakin one up.

In the Kirkland Trophy, the handicap championship, Russell Stewart (9) repeated his success of 2010 with a 4/3 victory over James Bledge (8). In the final Russell shot out of the blocks and was four up after four holes. James won the 9th and 13th but losses at 14 and 15 were enough to give Russell the trophy.

Round one: 1 G Seaman (15) bt A Mackay (14) 4/3, N Rankin (8) bt S Wilson (21) 19th, R Brewster (15) bt B Hunter (12) 4/3, R Stewart (9) bt G Aitken (14) 3/2, J Bledge (8) bt P Lloyd (16) 4/2, G Primrose (12) bt J Young (15) 5/4, P Anderson (9) bt J Gardner (14) 19th, S Kerr (8) bt I Cochrane (13) 2/1.

Round two: Seaman (15) bt Rankin (8) 7/5, Stewart (9) bt Brewster (15) 8/7, Bledge (8) bt Primrose (12) 2/1, Kerr (8) bt Anderson (9) 2/1. Semi-finals: Stewart (9) bt Seaman (15) 2up, Bledge (9) bt Kerr (8) 3/2.

The junior championship had to be postponed as one of the finalists was in the Club Championship final.

The junior handicap championship was won by Nathan Hendren (19), who defeated Bjorn Sandin (23) by one hole after going ahead for the first time in the match at the 17th.

The Martin Trophy for the strokeplay championship went to Blair Carnegie on 224, with Roger Moore second on 225 and Cameron Buist third on 226.

The handicap strokeplay championship was won by Craig MacLachlan (6) on 207, with Ken Wilkie (4) second on 210 and Robbie Mailer (6) third on 213 and a better third round.

Next weekend’s competition will double as the seniors qualifying for both scratch and handicap.

The Kippendavie Gents Open is on Sunday but very few times, all late, are available.

Nicola Robertson (17) retained the Ladies’ Championship she won last year, beating Nan Morrison 2-1 in the final.

DOLLAR

SATURDAY, Clic Sargent: division one 1 A Clouston (11) 61, 2 C Murray (6) 65, 3 R Smith (7) 67; division two 1 D Cowie (15) 66, 2 I McMillan (14) 68, 3 C Norman (17) 69.

Sunday, NPFA McRobert Cup: division one 1 B Miller (11) 59, 2 L Caine (9) 63, 3 V Allan (5) 66; division two 1 Graham Johnston (20) 63, 2 N Cowan (13) 64, 3 Greg Johnston (17) 65.

Dollar ladies held their Jessie Lorimer round two on Wednesday, June 20: 1 O O'Sullivan (20) 65, 2 M Symington (18) 68, 3 A Leitch (19) 70.

MUCKHART

NEIL MacDonald claimed the Tulliehasset Trophy for the ninth time on Sunday, 20 years after he first won the club strokeplay championship.

Neil and Ross White (15) went into the final two rounds level, two shots ahead of Paul Frith. Neil had a six-shot lead going into the final round but Ross cut the deficit to two before two lost balls put paid to his challenge.

Father and son Robert and Russell Malcolm qualified for the final two rounds and Robert pipped his son to third place.

On Thursday night the foursomes team beat a very strong Crieff side 2-1 to march into the next round of the Coronation Trophy. The highlight was Robert Malcolm’s hole-in-one at 10.

The seniors won away at Drumpellier, the Caledonian League team beat Montrose and the Bells Trophy team beat Comrie.

The gents’ senior open takes place on Thursday and the ladies’ open on Sunday. There are a few places left in both. Phone the pro shop on 01259 781493.

MUTHILL LADIES

GALA Trophy: 1 Fran Stirk 74, 2 Diane Gannon 76 bih.