PLAYERS Battle It Out To Become Gourock Golf Club ChampionsGOUROCK Golf Club has completed its Club Championships for the 2019 season.
The Ladies’ Championship final was played under overcast skies with the threat of rain not far away. The finalists were Emma Boyd and Moira Duncan and the spectators were treated to a great game played in a competitive but friendly and sporting manner.
Moira took an early lead on the front nine but it was all square at the turn. With the back nine came the rain and, by the 11th, play was suspended for an hour while the shower blew over and the greens were cleared.
Emma gradually gained control but Moira took her to the 17th before Emma won her first championship. This was a game well played in particularly trying circumstances.
Club captain Ian MacNaughton with Stephen Higgins, Emma Boyd and John Jack Jnr.
On the same day the Gents’ Championship was played with 46 players competing over 36 holes. The evergreen Colin Erskine scored rounds of 73 and 77 to take third place — 38 years after he won his first Championship.
Robert Clark had a morning round of 74 with a bogey at the 6th resulting in a one-over par front nine followed by a level par back nine of 37. In the afternoon, despite the deteriorating overhead conditions, Robert posted an excellent one-under par of 72 for a combined total of 146.
The winner, however, turned out to be Stephen Higgins who captured his sixth Championship title with rounds of 71 and 72 for a combined total of 143 — three under par. Stephen showed he meant business form the start by posting back-to-back birdies at the first two holes in the morning round and his ever steady golf just proved too difficult for the other contenders to catch.
In his acceptance speech, Stephen pointed out that he needs to run up as many wins as possible as, apart from Robert Clark and the other excellent competitors, he can see junior players Scott Newman and John Jack Jnr coming up on the rails.
Some days earlier, young John had retained the Junior Championship with a two-round combined total of 148 playing off the yellow tees -– a morning round of 76 and a magnificent one under par of 72 in the afternoon.
This included John lipping out at the par five 8th for an albatross. John’s younger brother Lyall took second place. John continues to excel at both regional and national level and Gourock Golf club are very encouraged and proud of his success and that of the other aspiring juniors at the club.
The Seniors’ Championship, which was once again generously sponsored by WH Kirkwood Ltd, grows in stature each year with 66 players competing in the 2019 event. Unfortunately the weather interfered meaning the two-round competition had to be played over consecutive Sundays.
Iain Bannister returned a two-round total of 159 including a tremendous 76 in the second round. Brian Campbell also had an excellent tournament, scoring two gross rounds of 79 for a combined total of 158.
The first spot, however, came down to a head-to-head battle between previous winners Colin Erskine and Graham Aitken. Graham set a great pace in the first round with a gross score of 75 with Colin some way back on 83. In the second round the tables were turned with Colin shooting a magnificent level par 73 against 81 for Graham meaning both players were tied on a total of 156.
A four-hole play-off ensued which saw Graham, pictured with club captain Ian MacNaughton come out on top. This was a tremendous display of golf in weather conditions that became gradually tougher.
