Lostwithiel Golf Update
Lostwithiel professional Tony Nash battled his way to the top of the leader board with a 71 on Monday 10th May, at the Isle of Wedmore course in Somerset in the PGA West Region's qualifying round for the Glenmuir Club Professional Championship.
After tying with Sion Bebb (Mountain Lakes, Caerphilly), with whom he shared the £250 prize money, Tony birdied the first extra hole of a sudden-death play-off to win the Glenmuir commemorative crystal.
Nash, who is 32 and whose partner gave birth to their daughter Ellie six weeks ago, reckons a victory in the 72-hole final at King's Lynn next month (June 8th-11th) would be a great way to celebrate.
"I've played in the championship twice in the last few years," he recalled "and finished 13th at County Louth in Ireland three years ago. With the way I played today, there's no reason why I shouldn't be challenging at the top next month."
Three birdies in the first five holes set Nash off at a gallop, but dropped shots at the sixth and seventh, which stalled the momentum. Out in 33, one under, he found water trouble at a couple of holes on the inward half but partially redressed the balance by chipping in from 15 yards at the 545-yard for a birdie, for an eventual back nine of 38, two over par.
Bebb shot five birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey in his 71, and said afterwards, "I've played in the Glenmuir final five times, and the best I've achieved in a 15th place six years ago at Coventry. Maybe this is the year to do something a lot better."
The £75,000 tournament is being sponsored by the sportswear manufacturers, Glenmuir, for the seventh year. Qualifiers- 1- S Bebb (Mountain Lakes), T Nash (Lostwithiel) 71; 3- J Clewett (Clyne). A MacKenzie (Saunton), J Peters (St Mary's), D Robinson (Filton), D Sheppard (Tiverton), K Spurgeon (Ferndown Forest), M Steadman (Vivary), M Wootton (Lakeside) 72; 11- T Hanson (Cardiff), D Honan (East Dorset), P Mayo (Newport) 73.
A busy week for Whitsand Bay Veterans with 15 playing a two from three stableford on Friday, May 7. It was won by L Wilton, R Cook and A Sykes with 73 points from R Bennett, T Doyle and L Gill 72; J Hoar, P Waye and b Polkinghorne 70.
On the Thursday 24 played a Four Ball Better Ball won by J Maddever and H Pryn with 43 pts. R Bennett and J Hoar 38; B V Rogers and D Foster 36.
The monthly medal winners were Div One - R Bennett 80-12=68; J Trevail 83-13=70; Division Two - B Polkinghorne 92-25=67; K Pomeroy 94-24=70.
Stableford - L Gill 32 pts; T Dart 30 pts; J Maddever 30 pts.
Twenty-four Whitsand Bay Veterans played a three ball Stableford, one to count on the previous Tuesday when winners were - B V Rogers, P Jones and G Dyer with 46 pts. T Doyle, J Woodfield and G Barrell scored 41; J Hoar, R Cook, and D Rawlings 40.
On Friday a mixed match against Carlyon Bay was played with Carlyon winning six and a half to one and a half.
Scores B V Rogers and F Powell lost one down to B Ofield and P Hack; T and M Dart halved with F and L Pickering; D and A Foster lost 3&1 to K and S Williams; J B Maddever won one up against D and J Gillingham; D Rawlings and D Page lost 3&2 to L Cornish and S Chapman; F Brelsford and R Hughes lost 7&6 to T Cook.
Lostwithiel Golf Club will be holding their preliminary round of the Millennium International Pairs Golf Classic on June 13th. The winning pair from Lostwithiel will then go on to compete in an all expenses-paid semi-final in Ireland during September. The final then beckons for the top 30 pairs for two days in October at the fabulous Mount Juliet Golf Club in Ireland, again on an expenses-paid basis.
The Millennium International Pairs Golf Classic was launched last year. It has already attracted rounds from 350 clubs across the UK; 25,000 amateur club golfers will be competing for the top honours and the £20,000 hand-crafted Waterford Crystal trophy which the winners will take back to their club.
The big bonus for the overall winning pair is that every member of their club will then be entitled to play the participating Golfing Ireland courses during the Year 2000.
Golfing Ireland are one of the event sponsors. They are a co-operative marketing company established by Bord Failte- the Irish Tourist Board, and participating golf clubs. Other sponsors are Stena Line, Hippo, Golf Protection, Gelnmuir and the Golfing Ireland Group.
The Millennium International Pairs Golf Classic is organised by Worldwide Leisure Marketing who are based in Hampshire. There is still time for other local clubs to register and run a preliminary round- call 01705-571668 for details.
On Monday May 3, a Texas Scramble was played with Jeff Buckland, Brian Taylor and Cecil Bourchier taking the honours with 65.9, followed by Gerald Bassett, Mike Row and Doug Hibberd with 67.4, George Robson, William Aust and Jim Cook with 67.7, Don Clarke, John Jones and Mike Phillips with 70.8, Dave Turner, Ray Taylor and John Hicks with 72.5 and guest (Peter) and Harry Foster with 72.7.
The May Medal was contested on Thursday 6th May. It was a beautiful day and Mike Row came away victorious with a very good score of 86-23=63, for which he was cut three shots. Peter Smale took second place with 79-8=71, other scores were Norman Allen with 90-17=73, Arthur Northfield 98-25=73, Harold ferris 90-17=73, Richard Fletcher 90-16=74, John Jones 95-20=75, Harry Foster 97-22=75, William Aust 98-21=77, Jim Cook 101-23=78, Andre Radondy 102-23=79, John Blake 107-27=80, Don Clarke 98-18=80, Ray Petipher 99-19=80, Brian Dick 103-21=82, Cecil Bourchier 106-24=82, Ray Taylor 107-23=84 and Rob Inglold with 108-21=87.
The group visited Newquay on Monday 10th May when a strong south-westerly wind prevailed. However, this did not prevent the Looe Vets putting up a good display and winning four and a half to three and a half. Scores - (Looe first) Ray Petipher and Richard Fletcher beat Bill Tait and Terry Ilen by 2&1; Dave Turner and Brian Duck beat Jim Colligan and Ace Walker 3&2; Gerald Bassett and Norman Allen lost to Ken Summer and Arthur Baker 2&1; Harold Ferris and Don Clarke lost to John Anstee and Gerry Marcelis one-down; Brian Taylor and Peter Smale beat Ron Lyon and George Cooper one-up; Richard Essam and Jeff Buckland lost to Don Tremayne and Geoff Colliver one-down; Frank Carpenter and John Blake halved with Bob Popperwell and Benard Seabourne; Rob Ingold and Ray Taylor beat Jack Taylor and Pat Glanville by 3&2.
A four ball B/B was played by the Vets who did not go to Newquay, Arthur Northfield and Norman Jenkins winning with 41 points followed by Mike Phillips and John Richards with 40, Harry Foster and Albert Quinland (39), Jack Hawkins and John Hicks (38), George Robson and Mike Row (32), with Doug Hibberd and Irvine Edmondson scoring 26.
Matches are coming thick and fast at this time of the season and the Vets were away at Killiow on Wednesday, we find this a difficult course with with a lot of long par threes which need accurate drives so with a strong wind blowing only managed to halve the match.
Ray Petipher and Mike Row lost to Tony Slade and Colin Martin two-down; Arthur Hallam and Dave Turner lost to Bob Morgan and Bill Attfield 2&1; Frank Carpenter and Harry Foster beat John Bacon and Wilf Powick 3&2; John Richards and Norman Jenkins lost to John Binmore and John Penhale 4&3; Gerald Bassett and Don Clarke beat Brian Gould and Sandie Cowie 2&1; Richard Fletcher and Jeff Buckland lost to Bill Campbell and Bill Coulls 7&6; Irvine Edmondson and Cecil Bourchier beat Brian Denby and Dave Chatterton two-up; Ray Taylor and Brian Duck beat Rolan Mitchell and Brian Chittock by 2&1.
St Mellion International Ladies Section May medal - Silver - Sue McCaughlin 90-19=71; Gela Inman 86-11=75; Sue Wenmoth 91-13=78; Carole Male 92-13=79; Lyn Ruberry 95-13=82.
Bronze Division One - Kirsty Gray 97-25=72; Ruth Burdon 99-25=74; Norma Mason 105-28=77; Stella Hancock 103-24=79; Sue Poole 103-23=80; Julie Edwards 101-21=80.
Bronze Division Two - Ann Davie 112-38=74; Lyn Johnson 111-33=78; Chris Holland 108-29=79; Flo Moore 113-33=80; Caroline Shannon 114-33=81; Muriel Wadhams 120-35=85.
On Monday, May 17th, 34 ladies played for the Anniversary Rose Bowl. The winner was Julie Booty with 44 pts. Silver Division Rosie Ring 36 pts; Bronze Division One Stella Hancock 35 pts. Bronze Division Two Caroline Shannon 43 pts. £170 was raised for the Primrose Appeal.