Golf Blogger - Golf News and Golf Blog

Borders cause an upset in 1st round of Scottish Area Team Golf Championship

Posted by Big G under Mens Amateur, Scotch Corner

Borders caused the upset of the 2008 Scottish Area Team Championship first round with an excellent 5-4 victory over last year’s runners-up Perth & Kinross at Peebles in Group A.

The home side got off to a flying start by taking a commanding 3-0 morning foursomes lead. Former Scotland international Alan Turnbull and clubmate Jamie Morris from Peebles led the way with a 3&2 win over Steven Hume and Nick Barr.

Despite a valiant come back in the afternoon singles by Perth & Kinross, winning the singles by a margin of four points to two, the Borderers held on to get their Championship off to a winning start.

Elsewhere in Group A, 2007 semi-finalists South opened up with a 6-3 win away win over Angus at Panmure.

In Group B, defending champions Lothians got their campaign off to a flying start with a 6½ - 2½ victory over Glasgow, a result which was matched by Renfrewshire who defeated Dumbartonshire by the same margin.

Former Amateur champion Craig Watson and reigning DM Hall Scottish Mid-Amateur champion Matthew Clark both earned full points for Renfrewshire, combining to pip Kevin Smyth and Andrew Campbell 3&1 in the foursomes before recording 1 hole wins against Windyhill’s Smyth and Hilton Park’s Gordon Yates in the singles.

Another of last year’s semi-finalists, the North East, stormed to an 8-1 victory over Argyll & Bute, whilst Ayrshire narrowly pipped Clackmannanshire 5-4 at Braehead to record an opening day away win.

In the Group D match at Thornton, Fife and Stirlingshire shared the spoils drawing 4½ - 4½, whilst Lanarkshire top the group after round one after their narrow 5-4 win against the North.