BIRDIES GALORE ON FINAL DAY AT COCHRANE CASTLE

A champion smile from Eilidh Briggs as she is presented with the county championship trophy by county captain Gillian McGinlay.

EILIDH BRIGGS IN CHAMPION FORM TO

TAKE RENFREWSHIRE TITLE Number 3

Kilmacolm's Eilidh Briggs played up to her +3 handicap with some brilliant golf in winning the Renfrewshire women's county golf championship for a third time at Cochrane Castle Golf Club today (Friday).

Eilidh, the top seed and a Stirling University P.E. student, beat Iona Stephen, who plays off two at  Wentworth, by 6 and 4 with a sub-par performance.

Briggs, out in 34 to her opponent's 39, was four up at the turn, having birdied the fourth, fifth and eighth. She also won the nine with a par.

Stephen sank a long birdieputt at the 10th to get back to three down.  However Eilidh, who was on great form, won the 12th and 13th and then finished the match with a birdie 2 at the 14th for a 6 and 4 victory.
A result, particularly the margin of it, must have been a disappointment for Iona who had played some very good golf herself over the three days but she was simply outgunned in the final.
Iona did take home one cup - the Peggy Clark Trophy for the best net score on the qualifying day.

In the morning semi-finals, Briggs produced five birdies in beating Greenburn's Liz Stewart 3 and 2.

Liz had two birdies of her own and was all square on the 14th tee before Eilidh's birdies at the 14th and 16th finished off a very good match.

In the other semi-final, Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle), county champion a record 11 times, lost by one hole to Iona Stephen who had three birdies in an outward 36 to her opponent's 39.
Jackson had birdies at the 10th and 17th to be only one down playing the 18th. Both players parred the hole, leaving Stephen, the one-hole winner and a county finalist for the first time.

RESULTS

Semi-finals - Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt Liz Stewart (Greenburn) 3 and 2, Iona Stephen (Wentworth) bt Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle) 1 hole.

Final - Briggs bt Stephen 6 and 4.

+Kirkwoodgolf is indebted to Freda Tuck for a
splendid service of information and pictures, particularly the semi-finals and final.