RENFREWSHIRE golfers were among the top contenders at last week’s Scottish Men’s Amateur Championships.

The tournament started with two stroke play rounds at Prestwick Golf Club and Prestwick St Cuthbert, the 64 players with best 36-hole score went on to the match play knockout format.

Derek Anderson (Lochwinnoch GC), Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm GC), Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie GC) and Colin Edgar (Elderslie GC) played well over the first two days to reach the knockout stages.

In the first knockout round McDougall held his nerve in a tense contest with Kilmarnock Brasserie’s Euan Walker, with the Elderslie man coming through on the 21st hole. Matthew Clark defeated Sandy Buchanan (Prestwick St Nicholas GC) 4&2.

Edgar was on the wrong end of a painful 22nd hole loss to Benjamin Henderson (Deeside GC) while Derek Anderson lost to Fraser Davren (Williamwood GC) 1up.

Clark and McDougall came through the next round to set up a Renfrewshire derby in the quarter-final.

In a closely contested match McDougall won three holes in a row from the sixth to go three up, before Clark immediately pulled two back on the ninth and 10th.

Then there was a moment of inspiration from McDougall as he landed a hole-in-one to take the 11th. Clark reduced the deficit on the 14th and then levelled the tie on the 16th.

It was all square going down the 18th, but a birdie three for McDougall sealed his place in the semi-final.

However his trophy dreams would end there as he lost out 3&2 to eventual winner Sam Locke (Banchory GC).

McDougall was 2up at the turn and looking good for victory.

But three bogeys on the back nine allowed Locke back in and he took full advantage.