On the first day of the match play phase a cold bright morning welcomed the 16 qualifiers from last weekend’s 84 starters was played at Colne Valley Golf Club Saturday/Sunday, 12/13 April.
The format was
pre-determined, players being ranked according to the finishing position in
the stroke play qualifying rounds with No 1 playing No 16 and No 2 playing
No 15, etc.
The number one qualifier, Martin Blake (Thorpe Hall) had a comfortable 4 & 3 victory over James Jones (Five Lakes), but 15 year old Joe Sullivan (Stock Brook Manor) who qualified in 15th place gave Reece Phillips (West Essex) a ‘good run for his money’ and just fell short when Reece went 2 up on the 18th hole.
Third ranked Adam Burwood (Harwich & Dovercourt)
narrowly lost to Daniel White (
Last year’s winner, Ross Spurgeon (West Essex) and ranked 4 was a comfortable winner against his club colleague Harry Eden by 3 & 1, and Owen Pearl (Colchester) disposed of Shaun Mills (Orsett) by 2 & 1. Ryan Adair (Orsett) overcame Matthew Southgate (Thorpe Hall) by a comfortable 3 & 2.
William Boniface
(
The afternoon contestants started with a shower of rain which was repeated at intervals throughout. Martin Blake the scratch golfer took on Ryan Adair, a golfer with a handicap of one. This proved to be a nip and tuck match resulting in Martin going through by 2 & 1.
In the second match Owen Pearl took on fellow scratch player Ross Spurgeon. If it had been stroke play Owen would have been 3 or 4 shots under par when it ended on the 13th green for a 6 & 5 victory.
Daniel White had the highest handicap of 3 and was definitely second favourite when playing Steve McAnally who plays off +2. Of course these contests are played off scratch and with 3 birdies in the first 8 holes, Daniel found himself 6 up at the halfway stage. Although Steve fought back to being only 3 down, Daniel ran out a 3 & 2 winner.
Two one handicappers were matched in the last contest
of the afternoon when Reece Phillips overcame
Sunday morning semi-finals were blessed with unusually good weather and Martin Blake after winning the first par 5 hole, lost the next 3 to Owen Pearl. This brought a determined response from Martin who ran out a 3 & 2 winner.
Daniel White eight years older than Reece Phillips continued his steady progress through the competition by winning 2 up on the last green.
The final began with an exchange of holes, Martin taking the first with a birdie, then Daniel the second with a par. The next 5 holes were halved and it was at the tricky par 3 8th hole where both players landed within a few feet of the pin, for Daniel to sink his putt and Martin putting second to miss.
On the 9th hole again Martin had a chance to square the match but he missed a putt he surely would have expected to make. After 12 holes Daniel had increased his lead to 2 holes, and to 3 after 15. Dormy 3.
Hole 16 and 3 down, Martin chipped in from off the green, but this was not enough and Daniel clinched victory on the 17th hole with a par to win 2 & 1.