The annual match for the President’s Pewter took place this year at Troon Lochgreen on Sunday 26 March. A wonderful new state-of-the-art Clubhouse welcomed the teams on a most beautiful spring day as four youths (U23), four boys aged Under 18 and four boys aged Under 16 from each Area comprised the two teams. The boys had been looking forward to this day for weeks as it signalled the first match of the season and they were raring to go.
The boys were led off in the morning foursomes by Taylor Kerr (Sanquhar) and Callum McMillan (Kirkcudbright). They got off to a poor start being 2 down after 3 holes but recovered to still be 2 down after 8 holes before they shook hands on the 14th green losing 5 & 4. Lewis Cheetham (D&C) and Glen Irvine (D&G) started well and were 1 up after 3 holes, still 1 up after 8 holes, but 1 down after 14 and were unlucky to lose by 1 hole on the 18th.
The third pairing of Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright) and Finlay Copeland (D&G) were 1 down after 8 holes but then lost four of the next 6 holes to lose 5 & 4. William Squires (Kirkcudbright) and Iain Rae (Dalbeattie), wearing a new pair of shoes and suffering with sore feet, got off to a bad start and were 2 down after 3 holes and 3 down after 8 holes before losing 4 &2.
The youths, all previous juniors in the last two years showed that they had lost none of their competitive spirit, and played well before losing narrowly in the last two matches. Rory Brunton (D&C) and Alex Long (New Galloway) were 2 up after 8 holes but were pegged back to all square after 14 holes and lost by 2&1. Callan Harkness (Lochmaben) and Dylan Cairnie(D&C) were never more than 1 down but ran out of holes at the 18th and narrowly lost by 1 hole.
A whitewash in the morning foursomes 6 games to 0. This had never happened to the South boys before and left them a mountain to climb in the afternoon singles.
The boys went out to redeem themselves, in shirt sleeves in the warm spring sunshine with sleeves rolled up determined to put up a better performance and ignore the bumpy greens. Taylor Kerr showed them the way in the first match. Although being 2 down after 3 holes he fought back to all square after 8 holes only to miss a tricky four foot putt on the last and finish all square. Callum McMillan had a titanic struggle in his match, being all square after 3 holes, all square after 8 holes and all square after 14 holes and was unlucky to lose by one hole on the eighteenth.
Lewis Cheetham and Glen Irvine showed how the South boys could play and easily reversed the outcome from the morning foursomes, each winning out in the country. Lewis, who is never beaten, got off to a good start to be 2 up after 3 holes and then after the turn applied the pressure to win by 6 & 4. Glen did it the other way winning 6 of the first 8 holes before coasting to victory by 6 & 5.
Nathan Watson played very well being one under par for the 16 holes played but his opponent Jack Broun, a Scottish Elite Player, was too strong and Nathan lost 3 & 2 after having been 1 down after 3 holes, 2 down after 8 holes and 3 down after 14 holes. William Squires could not fathom out the uneven greens and lost confidence in his putter, 3 down after 8 holes, he lost 5 & 4.
Wearing his old shoes Iain Rae was all square after 8 holes and 3 down after 14 holes. He then proceeded to win the last 4 holes and the match 1 up. Finlay Copeland also showed his fighting spirit. He was all square after 8 holes, 2 down after 14 holes and squared the match on the 18th.
For the youths, Rory Brunton got off to a bad start, being 2 down after 3 holes and 4 down after 10 holes before fighting back to lose by 3 & 2. Alex Long played par golf for the first 10 holes and was 2 down before the wheels came off and he lost 4 & 3.
A late night on the Saturday night finally caught up with Callan Harkness and he lost 7 & 5. Anchorman Dylan Cairnie was the star of the youths in a titanic struggle with his opponent. He had 5 birdies in winning 2 up and was pleased to help the team finish on a high.
Ayrshire retained the President’s Trophy for another year by 13 games to 5 games.
Individual Scores
Morning Foursomes
Taylor Kerr (Sanquhar) and Callum McMillan (Kirkcudbright) lost to Sean Addie (Belleisle) and John McCracken (Bogside) by 5 & 4
Glen Irvine (D&G) and Lewis Cheetham (D&C) lost to Ben Fleming (Welbeck) and Ross McDonald (Barassie) by 1 hole
Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright) and Finlay Copeland (D&G) lost to Jack Broun ( Belleisle) and Kyle Brown (Turnberry) by 5 & 4
William Squires (Kirkcudbright) and Iain Rae (Dalbeattie) lost to Euan Ferguson (Turnberry) and Ewan Milligan (Barassie) by 4 & 2
Rory Brunton (D&C) and Alex Long (New Galloway) lost to Callum Irving (Belleisle) and Greg Telfer (St Cuthbert) by 2 & 1
Callan Harkness (Lochmaben) and Dylan Cairnie (D&C) lost to Shaun Hedger (W Kilbride) and Sandy Walker (Barassie) by 1 hole
Foursomes Score: South 0 Ayrshire 6
Afternoon Singles
Taylor Kerr halved with Sean Addie
Callum McMillam lost to Ben Fleming by 1 hole
Lewis Cheetham beat John McCracken by 6 & 4
Glen Irvine beat Ross McDonald by 6 & 5
Nathan Watson lost to Jack Broun by 3 & 2
William Squires lost to Euan Ferguson by 5 & 4
Iain Rae beat Kyle Brown by 1 hole
Finlay Copeland halved with Ewan Milligan
Rory Brunton lost to Callum Irving by 3 & 2
Alex Long lost to Greg Telfer by 4 & 3
Callan Harkness lost to Shaun Hedger by 7 & 5
Dylan Cairnie beat Sandy Walker by 2 holes
Singles Score: South 5 Ayrshire 7
Match Result: South 5 Ayrshire 13
The photograph shows the South team after play. From the left Alex Long, Lewis Cheetham, Rory Brunton, Glen Irvine, Iain Rae, Finlay Copeland, William Squires, Nathan Watson, Taylor Kerr, Callan Harkness and Dylan Cairnie. Missing is Callum McMillan