PUMPHERSTON RETAIN SUMMER TITLE WITH EASE

Jul 20 2007 Golf, West Lothian Courier

PUMPHERSTON retained their Linlith gowshire Summer League title in impressive fashion in a gripping two-leg final against an Uphall side who fell at the same stage to them in 2006.

Uphall had home advantage in last Friday's miserable conditions but were still not at the races even on their own patch.

It was a forlorn hope that they would claw back their 1-5 deficit anyway, but a victory would have restored some pride.

Veteran Joe McManus at the top was eventually outgunned by Paul Drake who has a great record at Uphall, particularly as a plunderer of prizemoney at their annual 'open'.

And with Mark Timmins at number two being a former member as well as a South East District Champion, the home side’s Stevie Gravestock was always going to be up against it.

At the end of the evening, the only crumb of comfort for Uphall was the success of Graeme Stevenson who accounted for Ross Burnside.

Indeed this was the only win of the final’s twelve matches — Uphall’s point at Pumpherston had been made up of two halved matches.

A great win for Pumphy then and they are obviously pleased with the league format though there are grumblings from others that there are too few matches. That is unless you get through to the semis or indeed the final, which would give you three more encounters.

The original idea of the new format was that it would cut down a too onerous schedule and do away with meaningless matches.

Now, with lopsided leagues and withdrawals there is the feeling that a team can feel as if they have hardly started when they are at the semi-final stage.

But a better alternative way of doing things is proving elusive even though there is a strong groundswell in favour of change.

Maybe Pumpherston, if it comes to that, will be voting for status quo.

Results (Uphall names first)

J McManus lost to P Drake 2/1

S Gravestock lost to M Timmins 3/2

J Rhind lost to J Gallacher 3/2

G Stevenson beat R Burnside 3/2

A Stevenson lost to M Bonas 3/2

S Gemmell halved with G Kilfether

Uphall 1.5 Pumpherston 4.5 (agg: Uphall 2.5 Pumpherston 9.5)

THE Linlithgowshire Seniors League has one match to play and any one of three sides could win it.

Bathgate, so long the front runners this season, were knocked off their stride with a defeat at Uphall last week and West Lothian now lead from them by a single point with Uphall a further point behind in third.

The three remaining relevant matches – due to be played on Thursday — have all the sides away from home — West Lothian visit Shotts, Bathgate are at Pumpherston and Uphall, desperate for a win, go to West Calder to take on Harburn.

Not easy in the circumstances but one thing is clear, if the Bo'ness men grab victory at Shotts they will be Champions.

While with the Seniors and knowing how important the round of opens is to their golf, I'd like to nudge them in the direction of Deer Park.

There has been a bit of an administrative mix up getting the entry forms available so if you are eligible and have not yet entered under your own steam for their Seniors Day on Wednesday September 19, get that entry off now to the Seniors Convener, EH54 9PG.

And staying at Deer Park, their under-three handicap championships are underway and, unusually there are twelve qualifiers in each for the match play stages. In this competition the first four qualifiers are seeded and get a bye into the quarters before meeting the first round winners there.

Leading qualifier in the Championship proper was Linlithgowshire Champion, the powerful Mark Chaplain. His 143 aggregate beat Milan Govan by two, with the other seeds being Tony Kerr and Davy Thomson.

The cut itself was at 157 and with the first four games decided, they were out on Tuesday in the quarters where the tastiest looking tie paired warhorse Davy Thomson with umpteen-times winner of the event Andy Rothney.

The victor in that one would likely be faced by Chaplain in Thursday's semis as he was hot favourite to progress against Kevin Young.

Meanwhile in the second class it had been Paul Logan out in front in the qualifying on 161 and he was to play Andy Rothney's dad Sandy on Tuesday. The seed at the other end of the draw was second qualifier Martin Tutt.

And in the third class there is a clear favourite. Leading qualifier by no fewer than eleven shots is Alan Hamilton on 184. It could mean that it will be second man home George Douglas he faces in Sunday's final or perhaps both will go out before that.

All will be decided by Sunday across the boards if the weather holds.

Bathgate had four-man teams out on Saturday for a Texas Scramble and the winning total of 55.3 by H Dunsmore, C McLaren, A McPhillips and P Campbell beat runners up C Greenshields, J Leddy, R Lamont and R O'Rawe by 1.3 strokes.

There was also another Texas Scramble at the weekend. Up at Greenburn the scoring was equally good with a team of youngsters doing the business at the sharp end.

It comprised Stuart McKechnie, Lee McLaren, Stephen McPake and Blair Todd on 53.1, 1.2 ahead of second placed John McCairn, Derek Stark, David Bonnes and Robert Wilson.

The previous day there had been a tie at the top on net 65 between Willie Jackson (13) and John McLean Snr (12) for the Nelson Trophy. This was resolved on a countback in favour of Jackson. John Deacons took third for his 82-16>66.