Bognor golf juniors make it a clean sweep in the Overton

Following the late withdrawal of Chichester GC, a Bognor B team were put together to ensure sufficient players took part. Teams that took part were from the West Sussex, Bognor, Ham Manor, Goodwood and Worthing clubs.

Fantastic play from Ben Hughes saw him shot a gross 71 (nett 66) while Jack Taylor’s gross 71 equated to nett 61 and it meant Bognor A could not be caught. They won with a score of 199, seven shots clear of runners-up Bognor B, for whom George Bingham shot gross 82 (nett 64) in a team aggregate score of 206.

The event was sponsored by Bailiffscourt Hotel with the winning team invited to lunch at the hotel. The presentation was made by John Sixsmith, director of Bailiffs Court, and Mrs Overton, the original sponsor of the event more than 30 years ago.

Pictured are the A team winners in the back row – left to right, Jack Taylor, Ben Hughes, Ryan Breach and Tom Stoneham - and the runners-up in the front - Max Littleboy, Jake Stoneham, George Bingham and James Woosley.

It was a great day for Bognor and all the juniors should be very proud of their achievements.

A grand total of 104 men took part in the Whitsun Medal Cup. A tough course was set up and the scores certainly reflected that.

Overall winner was Andy Wiggins with a gross 83 (nett 68). Second, on countback, was T Ridges with gross 86 (nett 68). Third, also on countback, was R Donaldson with the same total.

Divison winners: Div 1 - Dave Grover 77 gross, 69 nett; Div 2 - Andy Wiggins; Div 3 - T Ridges.

Thirteen Bognor Juniors attended the final day’s play of the PGA at Wentworth. They had a fantastic day, finding their way into the public stand to watch Matteo Manassero hole the winning putt in a four-hole sudden-death play.

Sixty-seven ladies took part in the Elliott Methuselah Trophy and Stableford competition.

In the silver division, Mary Adames was the trophy winner with 36 points. In the Stableford, Wendy Johnson won the silver division with 38. Suzanne Taylor was second with 37 and Mary Adames third with 36, followed by Sophie James on 34.

Kay Dady was first in the bronze A division on 37, ahead of Kay Walker on 36 and Wendy Pettie on 34.

Winner of bronze B was Sally Cameron with 35, beating Barbara Evans on 34 on countback from Carol Adams. Hillary Reilly was fourth on 32 on countback from Brigitta Paul.

COWDRAY PARK

Cowdray Park seniors are gearing themselves up for their stellar event of the year, the seniors’ open, on Wednesday, June 26.

Organiser David Imlach has worked hard during the winter to ensure the event is a success. A record number have entered, with players from 39 different clubs attracted to this beautiful course.

Entries range from Wiltshire in the west to Kent in the east and the home counties. One player has entered with his home club nominated as Nairobi, Kenya, a return entrant from last year.

This is a major achievement in these difficult economic times and there is even a waiting list should a cancellation arise. Last year’s winner, Gerald Brunton-Smith from Bramley, is back to defend his title.

Sponsorship has been agreed with a number of local firms, including Harwoods’ Garages, Apsley Shooting, Global Flowers, Bluebell Inn, Cocking, Southdown Property and Cowdray Park Golf Club itself.

It is hoped their efforts will raise a good sum, via the raffle, for the captain’s charity, the Mary How Trust. All that is needed now is a change in the weather for the better to make the day worthwhile.

Cowdray Park’s Cyril Blake team made the long journey across country to play the locals at Willingdon in the latest round of the knockout series.

The home side had recently won their previous match 4-0, but they were stunned to find themselves on the wrong end of the same score from the visitors. Cowdray Park now have to travel to Ham Manor for a quarter-final tie.

Results (Cowdray names first): John Doran & David Hirons beat Ken Penfold & Derek Head; Mike Purdie & Dave Lucking beat Brian Ashman & Shaun South; Phil Cummins & Dave Balfour beat Ian Frampton & Arthur Nicholls; David Heard & Harvey Terry beat Brian Hepburn & Kieran Packham.

Cowdray’s leading senior Dave Hirons, fresh from helping the Cyril Blake team to victory at Willingdon, travelled to Oxford to represent Sussex captains against their counterparts in a representative match.

He scored another hole-in-one, having been told it was the trickiest green on the course with various humps and bumps. Not put off, he defied his ‘unlucky’ tag to put the ball straight in the hole.

Although a non-drinker himself, Hirons treated his colleagues and opponents to a drink in the clubhouse.

Cowdray seniors played their second home game on consecutive days when they entertained Farnham seniors on a beautiful sunny day with the course in excellent condition.

Having won six and lost six of the opening 12 matches, it was inevitable a draw would take place eventually, and it did in match 13 with a score of 4-4. Farnham had established an unassailable lead of 4-2, before a fighting comeback from Cowdray’s final two pairs levelled matters.

The match started well for the hosts with a 6&5 win for David Wickham and Tony Pike, retaining their unbeaten record against Farnham.

The visitors promptly equalised before Cowdray regained the lead through John Smith and Wally Mitchell, who won 4&3.

Farnham hit a rich vein of form, winning the final two matches starting at the first tee and the first starting at the 17th, to establish a 4-2 lead.

Mike King and Richard Histed reduced the deficit with a 6&4 win, only for Rodney Fisher and Gary Strowbridge, two in-form players, to level the scores with a 2&1 win.

Results (Cowdray names first): David Wickham & Tony Pike beat Dick Turpin & Ron Last 6&5; Jan de Vries & Mike Holden lost to Mike Tiddy & Dick Auckland 1 dn; John Smith & Wally Mitchell beat Nigel Williams & Dave Lowery 4&3; Roger Poat & Clive Brine lost to Dave West & Jim Cumming 3&2; Mike Hughes & George Crouch lost to Eric Christie & Keith Jackson 2&1; Ian Heustice & Graham Evans lost to Peter Selecky & Mark Forrester 3&1; Mike King & Richard Histed beat Willie Douglas & David Mason 6&4; Rodney Fisher & Gary Strowbridge beat Graham Thomson & Tim Green 2&1.

In total contrast to the home fixture played at Cowdray Park in April in freezing conditions, the seniors’ return match at Mannings Heath was played on a beautiful sunny day.

The result was also in complete contrast, with the home side, fielding three single-figure handicap players, running out 5½-2½ winners to gain revenge for their 6-2 defeat at Cowdray Park.

The visitors had a storming start, with match manager Ian Heustice and in-form Sam Howes winning 6&5. The next two ties went to the hosts by 2&1 margin before an inspired George Crouch and Paul Owen shook their hosts with a 2&1 win to level matters.

John Newman and Richard Histed halved their match to leave matters all square.

The final three matches went the way of the home side to leave Cowdray Park on the losing side.

Results: Ian Heustice & Sam Howes beat John Turner & Richard Pugh 6&5; David Tilley & Alan Godfree lost to Michael Hart & John Hastings 4&3; John Stone & Mike Hughes lost to Peter Elliott & Allan Wild 2&1; George Crouch & Paul Owen beat John Gallagher & Steve Parker 2&1; John Newman & Richard Histed halved with Owen Hydes & Ray Battersby; Dave Lucking & Gary Strowbridge lost to Phil Davies & Roger Key 2&1; Ken Marjoram & Roger Poat lost to Bob Binning & Robin Brown 2&1; Derek Smith & Mike Holden lost to Dave Cocker & Robert Halls 6&4.

More than 30 Cowdray ladies played on a beautiful sunny day for the Wakeham Trophy.

This is a 36-hole strokeplay competition played over two days. Myrna Heustice was the winner of trophy with a combined score of 153.

Terry Hughes missed out by just one shot and Stephanie Bevis came in third with 156. The winner of the Scratch Cup was Barbara Parker.

The first-round winner was Pat Wallace with nett 75 on countback from Myrna Heustice, followed by Barbara Parker on 76.

Second-round winner was Terry Hughes with 76, just beating Mandy Lucking on countback. Stephanie Bevis and Myrna Heustice both struck 78.

Sandra Barber was the winner of the June medal with a nett score of 75. Janet Poat was second with 80 and Tessa Stockwell third with 82.

The course was the real winner when Cowdray Park seniors took part in the Rolland Plate, a medal competition.

The recent weather has given the course some teeth, with deep, lush rough proving a problem along with faster greens.

Better players came to the fore and David Heard followed up his April win to take his second success of the year with a score of nett 69, on countback from Nick Austin and Frank Cheevers.

Heard was a member of the club’s winning Cyril Blake team which white-washed Willingdon on their home ground, as was Dave Hirons who finished fourth with nett 70.

Hirons lost a ball and ran up a ten on the stroke index one second hole, as did two other players. He showed his resilience and put that disappointment behind him to play the rest of the round well to finish only one shot behind the winner.

Results: 1 David Heard 69; 2 Nick Austin 69; 3 Frank Cheevers 69; 4 Dave Hirons 70; 5 Graham Evans 70; 6 Harvey Terry 71; 7 Paul Owen 71.

The final of the Cowdray Park seniors’ foursomes for the Barham Salver was a slight anti-climax as winners Derek Smith and Frank Cheevers overpowered their opponents Cliff Davis and Paul Owen by 5&4.

CHICHESTER

The veterans’ good run of form was ended at Cams Hall, Fareham, where a very close match ended in a 4-3 loss.

The first four matches went to the 18th hole and the vets were leading 3-2 but the last two matches went to Cams Hall.

Results: R Stainsby & E Bourne won 1 up; B Sharpe & J Robertson lost 1 down; B Martin & C Goldsmid won 1 up; D Monkton & C Page lost 2 down; N Moore & R Holden won 3&1; H Harper & P Green lost 5&4; M Chapman & B Shrives-Wrist lost 3&2.

AVISFORD PARK

The midweek Stableford was won by Michael Hopkins with 39 points.

The club medal competition was won in division one by Nick Finneran with a nett 69 and in division two by Craig Marchant with 72.

The senior Stableford was won in division one by Ernie Rivett with 41 points and in division two by Ken Hales with 42.

GOODWOOD

A dream final at the 2014 Ryder Cup venue Gleneagles is up for grabs for amateur James Woodman and his Golf at Goodwood PGA professional Christian Fogden in Europe’s biggest pro-am competition – the Lombard Trophy.

Woodman teed up a chance to tread the fairways of the PGA centenary course at the famous Scottish resort on September 3 and 4 when he won his club qualifying competition with a score of 39 points.

He and Fogden will hope to make the most of home advantage when they advance to the regional final at Golf at Goodwood on Monday, July 29, where they will play one round of better-ball medal play with the chance to secure one of 16 spots available for the 36-hole grand final.

Lombard, the UK’s largest asset finance provider and sponsor of the trophy, added their congratulations.

The tournament attracts more than 50,000 competitors from across Great Britain and Ireland and is now its 29th competitive year, marking a welcome return as title sponsor for Lombard, who originally sponsored the tournament from 1995 to 2006.

The PGA National Pro-Am Championship has a total prize fund of £80,000, with the winning professional at the grand final taking home a cheque for £12,000.

Woodman is a 31-year-old carpenter from Chichester. He has been playing golf for 19 years and plays off eight.

His interests apart from golf include horse racing, cycling and running.

Fogden, 38, has been a pro at Goodwood for six years.