LOTHIANBURN PAIR JANET AND CATHERINE WIN GIBSON CUP AT BRAID HILLS

Report from Anne Brownie, Chair of the Gibson Cup Committee

 

Marking 105 years since it was first presented, the 2012 Gibson Cup was played on 6^th and 7^th October over Edinburgh Leisure’s  Braid Hills Golf Course  in glorious sunshine! 

The winners, Janet Begrie and Catherine Stewart (both of Lothianburn GC and pictured above), were not the only ones with smiles on their faces. 

An almost full field enjoyed the beautiful autumnal sun, the wonderful views and a well-presented golf course which, although playing long after the wet summer, was in great condition for this annual ladies’ foursomes tournament. 

Saturday’s qualifying medal round saw close competition for the matchplay knock out stages on the Sunday with the eight pairs who qualified for the two matchplay flights separated by fewer than five shots. 

For those who did not qualify there was the Consolation Salver’s stableford format to look forward to on the Sunday (prize-winners  listed at the end of this article).

The top qualifiers from Saturday, Fiona Smith playing with Anne Stokes (both Harburn) won through their semi-final on  Sunday morning against Sandra Ashurst and Celia Nixon (both Murrayfield). 

In the other top flight semi-final Mandy McBain (Turnhouse) and Susan Randall (Carrickvale) put up strong resistance before succumbing to the  Lothianburn pairing of Janet Begrie and Catherine Stewart  who won by one hole.

  These semi final results meant that, as has often been the case in recent years, the Gibson Cup Final was contested by players from Harburn and Lothianburn Golf Clubs,
In the final, Janet and Catherine were giving four shots to Fiona and Anne and they secured an early lead which they did not relinquish, closing out the match as 4 and 3 winners.
Staunch supporters of the tournament for many years, this is the first time that Janet and Catherine have won the Gibson Cup.
In the second flight of matchplay, another Harburn pairing of Linda Boyle and Dorothy Wilson had a tight match with Suzanne Ireland and Yvonne Blyth of Prestonfield, which they won – meaning that Harburn was represented in both finals.
The other semi-final resulted in a win for the top qualifiers, Anne Brownie (Gullane Ladies) and Mary Stark (Lothianburn) who knocked out Margaret Anderson and Dee Williams of Craigmillar Park with their match finishing at the tricky 14^th hole.   
There were never more than a couple of holes difference in the second flight final with Linda and Dorothy not allowing Anne and Mary to consolidate a lead until the match finished in a  2 and 1 win for Anne and Mary.

The Prizegiving, sponsored by The Ladies Golf Centre (www.golfing-lady.com), was held in the Edinburgh Thistle Clubhouse. Prizes were awarded to the first three places in the Consolation Salver, to twos and special prizewinners and to all eight pairs who played in the matchplay semi-finals and finals, culminating in the presentation of the prestigious Gibson Cup to Janet Begrie and Catherine Stewart .    

 

Qualifying Scores/Matchplay placings

1 Fiona Smith and Anne Stokes (Harburn) (14) 75

      (Gibson Cup runners up)

2 Janet Begrie and Catherine Stewart (Lothianburn)

(10) 76       (Gibson Cup winners)

3 Mandy McBain (Turnhouse) and Susan Randall (Carrickvale) (14.5) 76.5      (beaten Flight 1 semi-finalist)

4 Sandra Ashurst and Celia Nixon (Murrayfied)

(13) 77.

  (beaten Flight 1 semi-finalist)

5 Anne Brownie (Gullane Ladies)and Mary Stark (Lothianburn)  (8.5)   77.5     (Flight 2 winners)

6 Dorothy Wilson and Linda Boyles (Harburn)                          (13)   78         (Flight 2 Runners up)

7 Suzanne Ireland and Yvonne Blyth (Prestonfield)                  (11.5)  78.5       (Beaten Flight 2 semi-finalist)

8 Margaret Anderson and Dee Williams (Craigmillar Park )       (15.5) 79.5         (beaten Flight 2 semi-finalist)

 

Consolation Salver Results (Stableford)

1. Barbara McQuillan and Liz Moody (Prestonfield)  (21) 32 points
2. Denise Mitchell and Rosie Dennis  (Murrayfield)   (12)  31 points (BIH)
3. Karina  Matson and Gillian Lithgow (Lothianburn) (13)  31 points   

 

Next year’s Gibson Cup will be played over the weekend of 5^th and 6^th October 2013