REPORT FROM ANNE BROWNIE, CHAIRPERSON, GIBSON CUP COMMITTEE

2014 Gibson Cup will complete in 2015!

Heavy overnight rain on Friday 3^rd October forced  the Braids Golf Course, along with many other courses in the Edinburgh area, to be closed on Saturday morning due to flooding. Over 90 ladies had entered the annual Gibson Cup (sponsored by www.golfing-lady.com) which should have taken place over both days of the weekend of 4^th/5^th October at the Braids. 

However, the severe weather meant that Saturday’s foursomes strokeplay round had to be rescheduled to Sunday in order to determine who would progress to the matchplay stages (now to be held next April) and who would win Consolation prizes in the revised format for the rain affected tournament.

Fortunately, the course dried up remarkably well  and some good scores were returned on the Sunday.   Leading qualifiers for the Gibson Cup matchplay were Adrienne Turner and Laura Reekie of Baberton with a net 71 (one below the par of 72).  Adrienne and Laura will play Mhairi Hall and Margaret Logan of Bathgate (net 73.5) in the first semi-final.   

The other semi-final is an all-Harburn affair!  Fiona Smith and Aileen Kennedy (net 73.5) will take on  Dorothy Wilson and Linda Boyle who scored  net 73 and are second seeds in the contest to win the Gibson Cup

In the second flight matchplay  former winners of the Gibson Cup, Karina Matson (Carrickvale) and Gillian Lithgow (Torwoodlee) who scored net 74,  will take on fellow former winners Janet Begrie and Catherine Stewart of Mortonhall who had a net 76.

 In the other semi-final Hazel Saunders and Mary Lou Watkins (Gullane Ladies) with a net 75  will   play  Margaret Fergusson and Lynn Wilson (Murrayfield) who scored net 74.5. The winners of the second flight matchplay will  receive the former Herald and Post Trophy.  The semi-finals and finals for both flights of matchplay will now take place on Sunday 19^th April 2015.

As a result of losing Saturday’s play, it was decided to award the Consolation prizes based on the next best scores after the matchplay qualifiers had been decided. This meant  that the Winners of the Consolation Trophy with a net 76.5 were Sal Shepherd and Mary Brennan, both of Craigmillar Park GC.  
Sal is on the left and Mary on right of picture on the right.

Sal and Mary had narrowly missed out on qualification to the matchplay by just one-half stroke so the Consolation Trophy lived up to its name in being some consolation for coming so close to qualifying! Other prizewinners in the Consolation were Sue Tait and Sue Dunlop (Broomieknowe) with a net 78,  Rhona Archibald and Eileen Stevenson (Turnhouse) with net 78.5 and Sandra Kempston (Craigmillar Park) and Zandra Mathieson (Broomieknowe) with a net 79.5 (on countback from two other pairs).  

 It was a great shame that the usual two full days of competition could not take place but readers of Kirkwood Golf will know that other tournaments had rain-shortened formats due to adverse conditions on the 4^th October. 

The main objective of determining the  matchplay qualifiers was achieved and a Prizegiving was held to present  Consolation prizes.  In addition, as we are in October which is breast cancer awareness month, fundraising at the Gibson Cup resulted in a fantastic £355 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.   Thanks to all who donated to this total.

Good luck to the matchplay qualifiers – watch out for the results on kirkwoodgolf.co.uk next April.

Scores Summary

Gibson Cup Flight of matchplay

1.       Adrienne Turner and Laura Reekie                  85    (14)          71

2.       Dorothy Wilson and Linda Boyle                      86    (13)          73           

3.       Fiona Smith and Aileen Kennedy                     86    (12.5)       73.5 (bih)

4.       Mhairi Hall and Margaret Logan                      84 (10.5)          73.5

Second flight matchplay

1.       Karina Matson and Gillian Lithgpw          85      (11)           74

2.       Margaret Fergusson and Lynn Wilson     86      (11.5)        74.5

3.       Mary Lou Watkins and Hazel Saunders   81      (6)              75

4.       Catherine Stewart and Janet Begrie         86      (10)            76

Consolation prizes

1.       Sal  Shepherd and Mary Brennan               88      (11.5)        76.5

2.       Sue Tait and Sue Dunlop                            103       (25)           78 

3.       Rhona Archibald and Eileen Stevenson     99        (20.5)       78.5

4.       Sandra Kempston and Zandra Mathieson  95     (15.5)         79.5(bih)