HELENSBURGH Golf Club’s competitions have taken on a new focus as summer approaches, as participants seek to secure their places in the fight for the various club championship titles.

There are six qualifying competitions, with the best two scores counting towards a place in the championship matchplay stages for each of the three classes.

The first qualifier, the Ormond Medal, saw Scott Barclay win the first class with a gross 68 for a net score of 64.

Scott’s was the only gross round in the 60s, with the rest of the field being led by Alan Birnie and Simon Barras, each of whom returned a score of 73.

Three players returned gross scores of 82 to top the second class standings – Billy Traill, who won the class with a net 65, Stuart Horne and Gordon English – while Charlie McGinn had the best gross score in the third class, his round of 89 being two better than Mark Birnie.

Multiple gents’ club champion Peter Haggarty demonstrated he will be challenging for the title once again with the lowest score of the year so far in the second qualifier, the Breingan Medal.

His gross 65 was four under par and nine ahead of Graeme Proud, on 74.

The first class section of the medal was won by Craig Stirling with a net 65, with his gross 75 putting him in with a good chance of qualifying if he can replicate his score.

In the second class Stuart Horne almost certainly confirmed his place in the matchplay with a gross 74, winning the medal with a net 61.

Stewart Fraser won the third class with a net 65; his gross 85 also gives him in an excellent chance to make the matchplay.

Meanwhile, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was celebrated with a competition for the Queens Jubilee Cup played in bright sunshine.

A total of 36 players turned out with Bob Berry lifting the cup with 40 stableford points.

Finally this week, the June McDonald Medal was played in stormy weather conditions but still produced some excellent scores.

This competition is a mixed event and saw Gary Potter win the first class with 39 stableford points. Shirley Monaghan was a comfortable winner in the second class with 41 points, while an in-form Neil Sloan, already a winner this season, took the third class honours with 34 points.