Golfers suffer last green agony in Leven
Ayrshire came agonisingly close to a fourth Scottish Men’s Area Team Championship title, losing to Fife on the last green of the final at Leven Links.
Ayrshire, who were winners in 1986, 2008 and 2015 and beaten semi finalists last year, cruised through strokeplay qualifying.
They beat holders North of Scotland 3.5- 1.5 in the quarter- finals and North East 4.5- 0.5 in the semis.
The final comprised three foursomes ties in the morning with six singles in the afternoon.
Jim Johnston and Robbie Muir opened with a 4& 3 win over James White ( Lundin) and Greg Wishart ( Lundin).
But the other two foursomes were both lost 3& 2, Tommy McInally and Steven Stamper losing for the first time in three starts against Andrew Davidson ( Charleton Members) and Fraser Carr ( Crail) while Steven Wallace and Michael Smyth lost to Steven Aitken ( Leven Thistle) and Scott Crichton ( Leven Thistle).
Trailing 2- 1, Ayrshire needed to win four of the six singles and well into the afternoon ties it looked possible.
Johnston, in the lead singles tie, beat James White 3& 1 before Muir put Ayrshire ahead with a 3& 2 win over Greg Wishart.
Fife drew level when Scott Crichton beat Smyth 2& 1 and with McInally losing to Carr 2& 1 in the penultimate tie and Wallace maintaining his 100% singles record by beating Davidson in the anchor tie, the match stood at 4- 4. The title’s destiny rested on the tie between Stamper and Aitken which went to the last green before Aitken won by a single hole to give Fife a 5- 4 win.