AYRSHIRE LOSE TO ANGUS COUNTY

Defending champions Angus made a strong start to the defence of their Scottish County Finals crown at Stranraer Golf Club, defeating Ayrshire 8-1. After taking the morning foursomes 3 nil they only needed to win two of the six singles to guarantee victory with hometown girl, Gillian Paton, leading Angus out against the talented youngster Hazel MacGarvie. Paton rushed to a 4 hole lead before Hazel pegged her back with the local girl eventually coming through 1up. The rest of the Angus team proved just too strong for Ayrshire, the only point coming from Linzi Allan who defeated Jemma Chalmers 1up.

Midlothian, who are due to face Angus on the Sunday, also made a strong start to the finals running out 7-2 winners over Dumfriesshire. Despite having won the Jamboree at Stranraer in July, Dumfriesshire could not make that advantage count. Midlothian took the morning foursomes by two games to one and pressed home their advantage with Scottish International Kate McIntosh winning 8&7 to seize the initative from Dumfriesshire. Diane Macdonald, vice-captain of Dumfriesshire scored a convincing 4&2 victory over former Scottish Champion Gabrielle MacDonald to provide some comfort to the Dumfriesshire side.

AYRSHIRE 1, ANGUS 8
Foursomes: 0-3
Audrey Thompson and Liz Keohone lost to Gillian Paton and Ann Ramsay 2 and 1.
Emma Hale and Jennifer Linklater lost to Alsa Summers and Claire Robertson 3 and 1.
Catherine Malcolm and Linzi Allan lost to Jacqueline Sneddon and Jackie Brown 6 and 5.
Singles: 1-5
Hazel MacGarvie lost to Paton 1 hole.
D Watt lost to Summers 4 and 2.
Allan bt J Chalmers 1 hole
Hale lost to Robertson 5 and 4.
Linklater lost to K Reid 5 and 4.
Malcolm lost to Sneddon 4 and 2.

DUMFRIES-SHIRE 2, MIDLOTHIAN 7
Foursomes: 1-2
Diane MacDonald and Mirren Fraser lost to Gabrielle MacDonald and Louise Fraser 1 hole.
Jordana Graham and Katie Malcolm bt Karen Marshall and Alison McBride 2 holes.
Linda Jack and Lynda Robertson lost to Kate McIntosh and Wendy Nicholson 6 and 5.
Singles: 1-5
D MacDonald bt G MacDonald 4 and 2.
P Lilly lost to McIntosh 8 and 7.
Graham lost to H Scott 4 and 3
Malcolm lost to K Ferguson 2 and 1.
M Fraser lost to McBride 3 and 1.
Jack lost to L Fraser 2 and 1.

Saturday's matches:
Ayrshire v Midlothian
Angus v Dumfries-shire