AN AUDIBLE sigh of relief was heard all around St Mellion as the forecaster’s prediction proved incorrect and the day set fair for The Fossils Open on Monday, June 8.

Players from across the South West assembled on the Kernow course to take part in the event including a large contingent of members of the Cornish Seniors Golfing Association.

Due to heavy rain over the weekend preferred lies were permitted for the players playing from the white tees.

The Open is played as a pairs betterball competition with prizes for both home and away players plus the usual twos, Nearest the Pin and Longest Drive.

First away were Mal Smith and Colin MacDonald who tore around the 18 holes and posted a remarkable 42 points which took the lead but remained the total to beat for just about an hour. Rich Firth and John Raphael then posted a brilliant total of 43 to take the lead.

Sadly, for the pair, the overall prize soon eluded them as one time Fossil, Simon Waddington, and his partner Brian Yates stunned the clubhouse with 44 points which many then thought would be the supreme score.

Last out, Mike R Newton and Lawrence Rowley scorched around the course and posted 42 points that did not displace the leaders, but it relegated Smith and MacDonald to third place on countback. Waddington and Yates were then confirmed in the overall top spot and leading visitor prize.

It was extremely pleasant to welcome back to St Mellion, past captain Andrew Corfield and David Dow.

Included in the total field of 85 there were a large number of Cornwall Senior Golfers Association members playing and had their own competition within the main competition, with the main winner again, the aforementioned Simon Waddington and Brian Yates.

The whole event was organised and run by Alvin Edney with great assistance from Dave Vincent, and the sagging prize table was testament to their efforts and the special sponsorship of Steve Hoskin Construction.

Not many of St Mellion’s contingent had played at Falmouth before they visited the home side’s clifftop course on Monday, June 15, and eventually home advantage proved key.

As the teams returned to the clubhouse, an air of doom was felt, and was soon confirmed with just one single victorious pair, Andy Thomas and Pete Williams. For Williams their victory came as a boost having suffered a puncture on the way that meant a late arrival. Nigel Coulson-Stevens took home a bottle of wine after winning Nearest the Pin.

The less than brilliant conditions at Falmouth were still much better than those that greeted the best part of 60 golfers as they prepared for the annual Devon and Cornwall versus The Rest of the World match the next day.

Played as a better-ball match environment with a win scoring two points, and a half a single point, it meant each team had to keep going for the full 18.

As the cards were handed in, there seemed to be a slight advantage to Devon and Cornwall, who it must be added had some team members with somewhat spurious heritage. Even so, there were no truly one-sided encounters and so the tension remained until the final card was handed in and only then could Devon and Cornwall be declared 259-245 winners.