ALEX QAYUM IS THE 2013 RLCGA JUNIOR CHAMPION

Alex, Mairi and Captain Maureen -- Photos courtesy of Captain Maureen Woodhead

It was dry!!  It was dry!!  Alex Qayum and Mairi Gray played this morning over Gourock and not one spot of rain fell - on what was a pretty damp course in places thanks to yesterday's heavy downpours.  Neither girl had played the course before.

Alex got off to a storming start and was 4 up after four, Mairi losing balls at the first two holes and struggling with the bushes at the long third and a tricky pitch at the fourth.

An excellent par four down the fifth and par up the sixth got Mairi back to two down.  Alex kept calm and despite both of them having serious trouble down the eighth, she stopped Mairi's comeback.  A solid par four down 9 and Alex was back to 3 up at the turn.

Poor Mairi had a stumble coming out of a bunker on the 9th and the players had a short break to allow Mairi to have some treatment.

It is credit to Alex that she managed to keep focussed and she increased her lead to 4 with a solid par up the 10th.

A burn has been installed across the 11th but Mairi pounded a drive across it while Alex plotted her way along and a half was the result.

Alex missed her par on 12 which allowed Mairi to cut back the deficit to 3 however, Alex parred the long 13th to go back to 4 up with 5 to play.

Both girls missed the fairway up 14 and did not catch the elevated green in two.  Alex played the better pitch to the hole and with Mairi 3 putting, Alex had two putts for the match which she took.

Both girls are to be commended on their ball-striking and Alex is a worthy Champion once again.

Apart from the 8th hole, the better ball was only 3 over par so some good stuff was on show.

Well done girls and good luck with your studies.

Captain Maureen