Quickfire exit for champion
Alan Connery ( Irvine GC) was crowned Ayrshire strokeplay champion at Western Gailes on Sunday but then tumbled from the matchplay championship the following night.
Connery hit a superb one under par 69 to follow a 76 for a 145 aggregate to pip Iain Brown ( West Kilbride) by a single shot.
Stephen Spence ( Royal Troon) was third on 147 following rounds of 72 and 75.
Keith Hamilton ( Ayr Belleisle) was fourth on 148, by virtue of the better second round, ahead of clubmate Jim Johnston. Sandy Buchanan ( St Nicholas) filled the final place on the prize list, also by virtue of the better second round.
New champion Connery was a surprise 6& 5 loser to 16th qualifier Greg Watson ( West Kilbide) when the matchplay championship opened at Prestwick Golf Club on Monday night.
Other results: Paul Denim ( Loudoun) beat Alan Murray ( Welbeck) 4& 3; Jim Johnston ( Belleisle) beat Ben Gibson ( Welbeck) 4& 2; Sandy Buchanan ( St N) beat Shaun Hedger ( West Kilbride) 3& 1; John Shanks ( Irvine) beat Iain Brown ( West Kilbride) 3& 2; Darren Mallinson ( Ravenspark) beat Robbie Muir ( Barassie) 4& 3; Andy Gibson ( Irvine) beat Stephen Spence ( Royal Troon) 3& 1; Craig Hamilton ( Ballochmyle) beat Andy Brown ( West Kilbride) two holes.
Quarter- finals: Watson beat Denim 5& 4; Johnston beat Buchanan 2& 1; Shanks beat Mallinson 3& 2; Hamilton beat Gibson one hole. Wednesday’s semi- finals: Watson v Johnston; Shanks v Hamilton. The final is on Thursday. MOTORSPORT Ross Auld from Whiting Bay won the 5Star Vehicle Deliveries Rally at Kames Motorsport Complex on Sunday. With co- driver Richard Stewart, he drove his powerful two litre Ford Escort to a convincing victory over two experienced Ayrshire crews.
Runners- up were Derek Connell from Tarbolton in his Subaru Impreza with Laura Marshall at his side. Willie Pollock from Cumnock, in his comeback, was third in a Ford Escort he shared with Helen Brown. Donald Cameron from Ardrossan ( with Alasdair Graham) was seventh in a 1.6 Honda Civic, Sundrum’s Graham Bruce / Keith Fair tenth in an Escort and Muirkirk’s Marc McCubbin, partnered by Joan Blackwood were 11th in a one litre Nissan Micro.
Andrew Blackwood from Stewarton was sixth in a Citroen C1, one place ahead of Muirkirk schoolgirl Amy McCubbin.
A late entry for the two sprints at Kames on Saturday and Sunday, May 13 and 14 is twice winner of the British sprint champion Stewart Robb and he will be driving the four litre Pilbeam MP88 with which he scored both championship titles.
Another interest item from the entry list is the Murchie family from Elderslie. Grandfather Mike, a regular at Kames will be in his faithful but fast Ford Fiesta while son Colin and grandson Kyle will share a faster machine, a Pell Genesis racing car. It is a rarity for three generations of the same family to compete in a speed competition.