Published: Wednesday, 27th January, 2010 2:00pm

Paul's second title

TITLE MAN: Paul Jones, right, with the champion's trophy at Whinhill. Left is runner-up Ross Pearson.Whinhill Golf Club captain Duncan Robb is in between the players.

WHINHILL GOLF Club Club Championship results saw Paul Jones crowned 2009 champion after defeating Ross Pearson by two and one.

He becomes champion for the second time, in three years.

The championship week started with the annual 'Stroke-Play Trophy' competition which sees the best 16 scratch scores, over two rounds, qualify for the matchplay stages.

The 'Stroke-Play Trophy' was won by 16-year-old Michael McLennan who became the first ever Junior member to win the 36-hole competition.

He returned excellent scratch scores of 69 and 70. A total of 48 competitors took to a course set up in magnificent condition, with the weather being extremely kind to all competitors. It was a calm day, resulting in many fine scores being returned.

Best score of the morning round came from young Michael - improving on his second place position after 18 holes last year - with a score of 69, the only sub-70 score of the day.

Close on Michael's heels were past Whinhill Golf Club captain David Ellis and Junior member Anton O'Donnell with scores of 70. Ross Pearson and Peter Daly found themselves two shots back after scores of 71.

Michael's afternoon score of 70, a score matched by Paul Jones (2008 'Stroke-Play Trophy' winner), Ross Pearson and Junior member Andrew McDonald, was enough to hold on to first position and claim the 'Stroke-Play' Trophy.

Ross Pearson took second place, for a second year running, two shots back with a total of 141, with Junior members Andrew McDonald and Anton O'Donnell joint third on 142.

The standard of golf throughout the qualifying competition was, although not as good as the record breaking scoring of 2008, of a very high standard.

The performance of the nine Junior members who entered the qualifying competition was one of the highlights of the day. Six out of the nine qualified in the top 16, with eight of the 16 qualifiers being under the age of 23. This bodes well for the future of Whinhill Golf Club.

Special mention should be paid to Whinhill Golf Club Honorary President, and longest-serving member, George Jenkinson. With scores of 74 and 75, he qualified in the top 16, despite just recently returning from knee surgery at the age of 74.

Stephen Kelly also qualified in 13th position after having never played off the medal tees before the 'Stroke-Play Trophy' competition, while 14-year-old Stephen Wilson became the youngest ever qualifier for the matchplay stages of the Club Championship with his 15th place. Then, of course, there was the youngest ever winner of the competition - Michael McLennan.

The qualifying competition was followed by matchplay matches played over the course of a week culminating in the final which was held over two rounds.

The matchplay stages got off to a quick start in the last 16 when the winner of the qualifying competition - Michael McLennan - was defeated at the last hole by Peter Daly.

The battle of the two Junior members was won by the more experienced golfer, with Anton O'Donnell defeating Stephen Kelly. Stephen Wilson would advance no further after meeting Ross Pearson in solid form

The tightest game of the last 16 was between Colin Coventry and Stephen Moore, Colin winning on the first extra hole, courtesy of a cracking approach shot setting up a birdie three.

The quarter-finals saw the experience of Colin Coventry and Myles Gallacher take care of Junior members Anton O'Donnell and Andrew McDonald respectively.

Sean McLaughlin and Paul Jones, two of the Whinhill Golf Club's biggest hitters, produced a classic, Paul mounting a tremendous comeback from two down with four to play to win at the last hole.

In the semi-finals Paul Jones defeated Colin Coventry at the 16th in a close match, putting to an end an excellent performance throughout the week from Colin.

Ross Pearson staged a fightback in his match against Myles Gallacher to set up a clash between the 2001 Junior champion Paul and the 2007 Junior champion Ross.

The final was a closely fought affair, with the golf being of a superb standard given the pressure both golfers must have been under.

Ross reached the turn in the morning round, one up, with a best ball score between the two being 28 (five under par). Ross extended his lead to two up at the interval, both men sharing nine birdies in the first 18 holes on the way to a best ball score of eight under par, 60.

Ross came out the blocks fast in the afternoon round, winning the first two holes to go four up. Paul reduced the deficit at the fifth only for Ross to birdie the sixthth and reinstate a four-up advantage.

Paul appearing in the final for a third straight year, claiming victory in 2007, then mounted a tremendous fight back by birding the 7th and 8th to return the deficit to 2 down at the turn. Paul took the 10th before winning three holes in a row from the 13th to take a two-up lead with three holes to play. Both men birdied the 16th hole, with Paul chipping in for his three before Paul closed out the game two and one on the 17th green after an unfortunate three-putt from Ross.

A further five birdies in the afternoon from both golfers underlined the excellent level of golf on show.

Ross, 19, who has appeared in three Junior finals, performed tremendously well in his first year as a Gent member of the club. He is one of the club's most consistent performers and equalled Whinhill Golf Club's course record of 64 in July, 2008. His golf was of a very fine standard throughout the championship week. He will benefit from the experience in the long term and he will play a big part in future championships.

Paul has moved his golf game onto another level in the past few years, mainly due to the dedicated practice that he regularly puts into his game. He has managed to get his handicap down to three - no mean feat given the standard scratch of 67 at the Whinhill Golf Club. He will, as he was in 2007, be an excellent champion.

The championship week contained top entertainment with all 15 knock-out matches making it past the 13th hole. Matches were followed by large crowds, played on a course in great condition and played in a tremendous spirit.

The golf was generally of a high standard throughout the championship week with the beauty of golf demonstrated in the fact that there was a 60-year age gap between the youngest and oldest competitors in the qualifying competition.

Whinhill Golf Club would like to thank the match committee duo of Alan Hendry and John McLaughlin for their tremendous efforts in the organisation of the championship. Congratulations also go to Paul, Ross, Michael and all who took part.