Champions are crowned at Helensburgh Golf Club

Peter won his first Helensburgh championship in 1993, and more than a quarter of a century later he showed he’s lost none of his skill by retaining the prize he won in 2018.

Up against his 2017 final opponent Terry Smith, Peter looked well on course to assert his superiority at the halfway point of the 36-hole matchplay final, as he took a three-hole advantage into the lunch break.

Terry reduced the gap to just a single hole as the afternoon round progressed, but Peter would not be denied, and he once again gained the upper hand, eventually securing a three-hole victory on the 16th.

The ladies’ club championship crown was also retained by the 2018 winner; Gemma Canham found herself up against 2017 winner Sarah Kemp in a repeat of last year’s final, and once again it was Gemma who prevailed, winning her fifth ladies’ title in the last seven years by a margin of just one hole.

Meanwhile, the junior boys’ championship title was won by Lewis Tynan, who defeated Jonathan Montgomery in the final, and Gail Waddell won the ladies’ bronze final by a margin of 4 and 2 over Vyvian Stevenson.

The Peel Trophy, for the gents’ second class championship, saw winner John Ford edge out his opponent Kevin Robb by one hole, while the 1963 Trophy, for the gents’ third class, was won by Craig Smith, with Derek West the losing finalist.

Despite mixed, and very challenging, weather conditions, all six finals witnessed some fine matchplay golf.

In other competitions at Helensburgh, Stuart Horne won the ARC Trophy with 39 stableford points by virtue of a better inward half from runner up Derrick Nash who matched his points total.

The August McDonald Medal winners were Ian Irving with 42 points in the first class section, Don Griffin, also with 42 points, in the second class, and Mick Bone with an impressive 44 points in the third class.

The Wednesday Ormond Medal produced spectacular scoring. Kevin Robb won the first class with a net 66, while both the second and third classes were won by net 65s, Chris Stewart winning the former and Grant Mitchison the latter.