A LARGE field of Fossils assembled at St Mellion for the first trophy event of the season, The President’s Trophy, on Thursday, April 24.

Blessed with glorious weather and the course in fine fettle even if the sand in the bunkers remained heavy after the recent rains, expectations were for some high scoring with such favourable conditions.

Alas no, close competition, yes with no less than three players each recording the same total, 36. Mike Tamblin was declared the winner on countback from Ted Ahier in second place and in third, Marc Nash.

Fourth to sixth positions were equally competitive with three players all on 35 points.

In addition to the actual Trophy competition which was played as a Stableford, the President also presented prizes for the lowest gross score, won by Allan Evans with 78 strokes and for the best handicap score of nett 70 on countback which was won by Marc Nash.

Just two twos were recorded, both on the newly re-opened 16th, by Paul Turner and Kevin Webster.

Results: 1 Mike Tamblin – 36; 2 Ted Ahier – 36; 3 Marc Nash – 36; 4 Brian Pound – 35; 5 Chris de Beaufort – 35; 6 Sophocles Ioannou – 35.

Section Winners – Gold: Narc Nash, Brian Pound and Chris de Beaufort; Silver: Mike Tamblin, Stan Serwata and John Raphae; Bronze: Ted Ahier, Sophocles and Malcolm Smith.

The day before saw St Mellion welcome St Enodoc for their first home match of the season.

St Mellion had only a single change from the team that lost 5-3 at St Enodoc with captain Rob Parsonage unable to play, but St Enodoc did have several new faces.

The visitors’ alterations did not weaken a very strong team with Kevin Smith being the only St Mellion player not to receive any shots and that because one of his opponents also had the same handicap.

It soon became clear that the visitors were intent on preventing a repeat of lasts’ year’s heavy defeat with an immediate win on the first hole setting a lead that John Robinson and ‘David Carrick maintained to the end.

By the halfway stage the Fossils had a commanding lead, but then the results stuttered with two to the visitors and two to the hosts.

Both captains of the day anxiously waited in the clubhouse as each group arrived back, recording each result and attempting to forecast who would have the bragging rights.

On the day St Mellion grabbed the rights at home 5-3, the same score which St Enodoc won by on their Church course, meaning an 8-8 draw overall.

Hole eight was selected for ‘Nearest the Pin’. Although nominally the easiest hole on the course and with the pin set near the front of the green, every player had a chance?

Brian Pound in the second group wrecked the competition for St Mellion players with a superb strike to within a couple of feet of the pin.

St Enodoc did have three names on the scoresheet, two from the two earliest groups, but not until the seventh group did a third name appear to win the wine for St Enodoc with Jeremy Taylor striking the ball to within three feet.

The whole day was rounded off with an excellent meal enjoyed by the players.