SUCCESS was tasted for the first time by an Irvine golfer in a notable event at Western Gailes Golf Club.

A superb one under par 69 in the second round saw Alan Connery take the 2017 Ayrshire Strokeplay Championship title at the sun-drenched North Ayrshire course by a single shot.

The defending champion Greg Telfer (Prestwick St Cuthbert), bidding to be the first player to win successive titles in the history of the championship, set the pace after the first round with a best of the day 68, two under par.

Unfortunately for Telfer, some wayward play in the second round culminated in a no return at the 17th hole as he finally relinquished his title.

Closest to Telfer after the opening round was Paul Denim (Loudoun) with a one under par 70, but he too faded away in the afternoon, returning a second round of 80 for a 150 total.

The ultimate champion, Alan Connery, had an opening round of 76 to put him an a large chasing group on 76 or less going into the second round, but whilst many challenges faded away, Connery set up his title bid with an excellent two under par total of 34 on the outward half in the afternoon, which included a single bogey at the par four second and birdies at the fifth, sixth and eighth holes.

In the inward half, bogeys at the 15th and 17th were offset by birdies at the 12th and 14th to give Connery an inward half of level par 35 and a second round of 69.

Iain Brown (West Kilbride) took the runners-up place, his opening 74 being bettered by two shots in the afternoon for a total of 146, whilst Steven Spence (Royal Troon) was third on 147 following rounds of 72 and 75.

Keith Hamilton (Ayr Belleisle) was fourth on 148, by virtue of the better second round, ahead of clubmate Jim Johnston, whilst Sandy Buchanan (Prestwick St Nicholas) filled the final place on the prize list, also by virtue of the better second round, again on 148.

The CSS for both rounds was 75 (+1)

Top 20

1 Alan Connery 76 69 145

2 Iain Brown 74 72 146

3 Stephen Alan Spence 72 75 147

4 Keith Hamilton 75 73 148

5 Jim Johnston 74 74 148

6 Sandy Buchanan 73 75 148

7 Craig Hamilton 72 76 148

8 Darren Mallinson 76 74 150

9 P Denim 70 80 150

10 Alyx Murray 77 74 151

11 Robbie Muir 76 75 151

12 Andy Brown 79 73 152

13 Shaun Hedger 77 75 152

14 Ben Gibson 76 76 152

15 A Gibson 75 77 152

16 J Shanks 82 71 153

17 Andrew Farmer 80 73 153

18 Greg Watson 78 75 153

19 Michael Smyth 77 76 153

20 Sandy Walker 75 78 153.