Today’s Gents Senior Championship Final was contested by two first time finalists – Neil Hogarth and Bill McKenna. Bill started the stronger and steadier in the tough cold and windy conditions taking a two-hole advantage after the first 3 holes,but Neil hit back to reduce the margin winning the 4th in par. After halving the 5th hole, Bill regained his two-hole advantage at the 6th with a lovely approach to the green. Neil hit back at the 7th with a fine par to reduce the lead once again, and both were in trouble at 8, but no damage was done ending in a half. Neil’s long hitting gave him the advantage at the 9th, and he squared the match at the turn. Neil had a chance to win the 10th with Bill in trouble off the tee but made a costly three- putt to let Bill off the hook and failed to get in front for the first time in the match and remained all square. Both players earned hard fought pars at the long 11th hole, but Neil found the greenside bunker at the 12th and Bill took full advantage to take the lead once again. Bill hit a lovely tee shot at 13 to the green with Neil bravely getting down in two from off the green to give himself a chance of a half. Bill didn’t convert the birdie putt to extend his lead and remained one up. Neil failed to take advantage of his long hitting on the 14th, and this time it was Bill’s turn to fight hard for a half. Neil squared the match again at the short 15th after Bill missed the green with his tee shot however a wayward tee shot incurring a penalty proved costly for Neil and Bill took a one-hole lead with two to play. With the business end in sight could Bill get it done, or could Neil produce some late magic to win? Neil drove a long ball left of the green at the 17th while Bill had a 60-yard pitch for his approach. Bill came up short and landed in the right-hand greenside bunker giving Neil a chance to level the game which he duly did with a finely executed pitch and a converted birdie putt. Neil, buoyed by his birdie, boomed another long ball just short of the green an Bill had a good angle into the pin from his tee shot at the last. Bill’s approach could not hold the green and unluckily rolled off the putting surface, leaving a difficult chip shot. Neil played an exquisite pitch to around three feet, putting pressure on Bill from his position. Bill produced a superb chip under pressure to within a couple of feet which Neil conceded for par, but he knew he still had a chance to putt for the win. Neil, rolled in the knee-knocker to give him a brilliant birdie, birdie finish and his first Harburn Gents Seniors Championship win by the narrowest margins. Congratulations and well-done Neil!   Credit to both Neil and Bill in producing a real close match in challenging conditions that could have gone either way.