On a beautiful summer’s day on Sunday 16 August 70 players (including 13 Juniors), gathered at Powfoot Golf Club to compete for the South of Scotland Championship. The course was in superb condition with fast receptive greens; just what the golfers wanted to determine their champion for 2015.
Right from the start a clutch of players returned scores equalling and bettering the par of 71. Ian Reid (D&G) had a marvellous one under par of 70 with two birdies on the front nine and a bogey on the back nine, but this was bettered by Andy Kerr (Crichton) with two birdies and one bogey going out and three birdies and two bogeys coming in for an excellent 69 to lead at the halfway mark. Other good scores were returned by Sean Kennedy (D&G) and Daniel McConnachie (D&C) on level par 71 and C Riddick (Southerness), Ross Murray (Southerness), Ainsley Bagnall (D&G) and Conor Harkness (Southerness) on 72. There were 17 players within 5 shots of Andy Kerr and all to play for, particularly as a light wind was blowing from the south west.
First off in the afternoon Liam Carruthers (Powfoot), used his local knowledge of the conditions to shoot a level par round of 71 and set the pace with a total of 146. Ainsley Bagnall equalled this with a second round of 74, only for Andy Kerr to beat them both with a 76 for 145. This was then equalled by another marvellous two under par round of 69 by Martin McNae (Lochmaben) with three birdies and an unfortunate lone bogey at the last. Danny McConnachie, playing with Martin, returned a second level par 71 to finish on 142 and capture the lead which no one else could beat. Two marvellous consistent rounds from Danny with 8 birdies, 21 pars, 6 bogeys and 1 double bogey and a very worthy champion.
All the Juniors completed the 36 holes and acquitted themselves well. William Squires (Kirkcudbright) with a score of 149 (75, 74) beat Callan Harkness (Lochmaben) 150 (75,75) to win the Junior prize.
The CSS for both rounds was 72.
Results of the 51 competitors who completed 36 holes:
142 D. McConnachie (D&C) 71, 71
145 M McNae (Lochmaben) 76, 69
A Kerr (Crichton) 69, 76
146 L Carruthers (Powfoot) 75,71
A Bagnall (D&G) 72,74
147 A Birdsall (D&C) 74, 73
G Finlay (Castle Douglas) 74, 73
I Thomson (Powfoot) 73, 74
148 A White (Newton Stewart) 73, 75
C Harkness (Southerness) 72,76
I Reid (D&G) 70,78
149 J Parker (Southerness) 77, 72
W Squires (Kirkcudbright) 75, 74
G Corbett (D&G) 75,74
C Hamilton (Stranraer) 75, 74
S Kennedy (D&G) 71,78
150 M Grunwell (Powfoot) 76, 74
C Harkness (Lochmaben) 75,75
M McCulloch (Portpatrick) 74, 76
D Willacy (Powfoot) 74, 76
M Kirkwood (Kirkcudbright) 74,76
151 I Johnstone (Wigtownshire County) 78, 73
J Coldwell (Portpatrick) 77, 74
D Brodie (Wigtown & Bladnoch) 76, 75
C Corbett (D&G) 76, 75
C Riddick (Southerness) 72,79
152 J McWilliam (Portpatrick) 74, 78
153 S Henderson (Lochmaben) 76,77
154 J Telfor (Wigtown & Bladnoch) 79, 75
A Bendall (Castle Douglas) 78, 76
155 C Gray (Kirkcudbright) 80, 75
R Johnston (D&C) 80, 75
D Cairnie (D&C) 79, 76
156 M Cowie (D&C) 79, 77
J H Cameron (Powfoot) 75,81
S Fisher (Portpatrick) 75, 81
157 F Greenhorn (Stranraer) 78, 79
G Blaney (Southerness) 77,80
158 L McMichael (Thornhill) 79, 79
160 R Marchbank (D&G) 83,77
K Adams (Dalbeattie) 77, 83
161 N Watson (Kirkcudbright) 84, 77
162 F Copland (D&G) 77, 85
164 B Kelly (D&C) 85, 79
165 I McBeth (Castle Douglas) 87, 78
166 G Rice (D&C) 86, 80
169 D Agnew (Wigtownshire County) 81, 88
170 C Brown (D&C) 88, 82
173 G Coulter (Wigtownshire County) 89, 84
179 R Brunton (D&C) 78, 91
183 B Scott (Lochmaben) 84,79
The draw for the South of Scotland Match Play Championship to be played at Powfoot on Saturday 22 August is as follows:-
9.00 am L Carruthers (Powfoot v D Brodie (Wigtown & Bladnoch)
9.10 J Parker (Southerness) v W Squires (Kirkcudbright)
9.20 A White ( Newton Stewart) v C Harkness (Lochmaben)
9.30 I Thomson (Powfoot) v M McCulloch (Portpatrick)
9.40 D Willacy (powfoot) v A Birdsall (D&C)
9.50 M Grunwell (Powfoot) v C Harkness (Southerness)
10.00 G Corbett (D&G) v I Reid (D&G)
10.10 M Kirkwood (Kirkcudbright) v A Bagnall (D&G)
The South of Scotland Club Championship was run in conjunction with the South Championship. Dumfries & County, with a team of Danny McConnachie, Alan Birdsall and Rory Brunton were the winners with a score of 289. Second were Dumfries & Galloway on 294 and third Lochmaben with 298. Dumfries & County will represent South Area in the Scottish Club Championships at Fortrose and Rosemarkie in September.
The photograph shows 2015 South of Scotland Champion Danny McConnachie being presented with the trophy by South President, Duncan Moore