WEST Kilbride amateur Laura Moffat missed a four-foot putt on the first extra hole of her singles match to gift defending champions Sweden a slender one-point victory and overall third place in the European Junior Women's Team championship at Nairn yesterday.

For the second tournament in succession, Scotland finished in fourth place following their 4-3 loss to the visitors.

Spain secured their fourth success in the event with a surprisingly convincing 4!s to 2!s defeat of leading qualifiers France.

The Spanish win was sealed in a dramatic fashion when Alejandra Armas chipped in for an eagle on the final hole to beat leading player Marine Monnet.

On Saturday, the host nation had been comprehensively outclassed by the impressive French outfit in their semi-final when the continentals recorded a victorious and somewhat misleading 5!s to 1!s scoreline.

When Moffat lost out by 2 and 1 to Caroline Laurens, the match was out of the Scots' reach and the remaining players all decided to declare halved matches. Results:

Third-fourth place play-off - Foursomes (Scottish names first): M McKay and L Moffat beat J Lindberg and C Afzelius-Alm, at 19th; H Monaghan and L Nicholson lost to A Lindblom and H Ohlsson, 2 and 1. Foursomes: Scotland 1, Sweden 1. Singles: McKay beat A Becker, 5 and 4; Monaghan lost to Afzeleius-Alm, 4 and 3; H Stirling lost to Lidblom, 6 and 5; Nicholson beat Ohlsson, 4 and 3; Moffat lost to Linberg, at 19th.Match result: Scotland 3, Sweden 4.

Saturday's semi-final: Foursomes results (French players first) - J Busuttil and A Vincent beat M McKay and L Nicholson, 4 and 3; I Karine and M Monnet beat H Monaghan and L Moffat, 1 hole. Singles: Monnet beat McKay, 5 and 4; Icher halved with Monaghan; C Laurens beat Moffat, 2 and 1; Busuttil halved with H Stirling; V Amandine halved with Nicholson.Match result: France 5!s, Scotland 1!s.

q DEFENDING champion Kevin Boyle, of Grangemouth, retained his Stirlingshire Boys' Strokeplay title at Bonnybridge yesterday after posting a five-over-par 77. Jamie Good, a 15-handicapper from Campsie, won the handicap section with a net 66. Results:

77 - K Boyle (Grangemouth). 79 - R Williamson (Falkirk Tryst), bih; A Shand (Campsie). Handicap: 66 - J Good (Campsie, 15). 69 - L Shand (Campsie, 13).

q IAN Habbick of Cathkin Braes posted a net 70, one under par, to win the Glasgow Summer Meeting at Cathkin Braes on Saturday. Results:

70 - I Habbick (Cathkin Braes, 7). 71 - G Innes (Greater Easterhouse, 17). 73 - D Walker (Cathcart Castle, 10); W Risebro (Lacala, 15); J Canning (Sandyhills, 11); J Smythe (Greater Easterhouse, 18). Daily Record Masters Qualifying (To be held at Buchanan Castle): 74 - J H Thomson (Haggs Castle); G H Watson (Cawder); C Lavelle (Partick).

q KIRKCALDY'S Ryan Dickson took his first major title yesterday at Aberdour Golf Club when he won the Fife Matchplay championship, defeating Neil Hill of the host club 2 and 1 in the final. Results:

Semi-final: N Hill (Aberdour) bt T Cochrane (Dunnikier Park) 4 and 2. R Dickson (Kirkcaldy) bt A Soutar (Balbirnie Park) 6 and 5. Final: Dickson bt Hill 2 and 1.

JUNIOR WOMEN