Tense finale sees Aberdeen University Golf Club lose out on BUCS title
By: James Kinnaird
PHOTOGRAPH: AUTHOR
As BUCS competitions are coming to a close for the season, last Sunday saw Aberdeen University Golf Club 2’s travel south to Scotscraig to take on Dundee University 2’s in a showdown for the BUCS fourth conference title. Travelling to Dundee, Aberdeen were in a 3-way split for the title, with both them and Dundee needing an 8-0 win to trump St Andrews to the title, a feat neither team had achieved so far this season. The team, led by captain Nick Smith, were looking to make it back-to-back winning seasons for the golf club following their Conference Cup victory last year under former captain Curtis Stephen.
It was Cameron Reid and Jack Tobin who got proceedings underway for Aberdeen just past 11 am. The team started well with both players hitting good drives off the first tee while Dundee was left with a provisional after a wayward drive into the trees crowding the right side of the fairway. The rest of the team teed off as follows, Alex Rate and Ethan Duncalf, then Nick Smith and Mathew McNally, followed by Luke Sutherland and Curtis Stephen taking up the rear.
Despite the positive start from the visiting side, Dundee managed to gain a foothold just as the first pairing reached the 9th hole, which was reflected in the scores. Leading by example it was captain Nick Smith who maintained the largest advantage alongside Curtis Stephen on +4, with everyone else leading except Matthew McNally and Luke Sutherland who were trailing at the turn, with Cameron Reid all square. With the score at 4.5-3.5, the back nine promised to be a tense affair, and it certainly delivered.
Only Nick Smith, Curtis Stephen, and Ethan Duncalf had their games wrapped up before the 17th hole, with the rest taking a 2-shot lead into the last hole, leaving their opponents unable to catch them. It was only Alex Rate and Cameron Reid that took their games to the last hole, which had to be a replay of the first hole thanks to a waterlogged 18th. Alex won his game after his opponent shanked his provisional left of the green, leaving him to slot home for par. However, Cameron Reid and his partner pushed each other all the way, halving the hole and leaving Aberdeen agonisingly short of that illustrious 8-0 win, nevertheless awarding the visitors with a 7.5-0.5 win, and drawing exactly level on points with St Andrews in the league.
However, there remained some hope for Aberdeen as it was unclear how the title would be decided, but a review of the BUCS regulations revealed that it will go to a head-to-head. Aberdeen lost out to St Andrews earlier in the year and it was that result that would be the deciding factor.
Speaking to captain Nick Smith after the game he voiced his pride in the team, commenting that ‘the win was a great result for us and reflects that of a largely successful season’, he also touched on the club's ambitions going forward, stating ‘we’ll be back next year with hopes of going one step further’. Despite missing out on promotion by such a narrow margin, the mood amongst the players remained positive following what was still an emphatic victory for Aberdeen and a testament to the talent the team has displayed all year.
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