Thetford Golf Club
Tony & Ross hold on for Winter League title
Gareth Mills & Dean Scott did their best but could not overhaul long-time leaders Tony Brooks & Ross Sanford in the final round of the Winter League on Sunday February 15.
The format is the best four scores from six rounds of competition and Gareth & Dean knew their final score would count - whereas the leaders were trying to improve on 41pts.
Left-handers Gareth & Dean started the day on 108pts and a sparkling 45pts took them to within one of the leaders. They had six birdies in all, five of them from Gareth over the last nine holes.
But just to make sure Tony & Ross extended their winning total to 155 by returning 42pts themselves.
In the overall standings John Ward & Peter Croker finished third with 150, followed by Barry Allen & Andrew Bremner with 148.
Final round results: 45pts Gareth Mills (4) & Dean Scott (4); 44 Matt Harben (4) & Rob Taylor (5); 42 Tony Brooks (12) & Ross Sanford (4); 41 Graham Sloan (9) & David Sutton (10), Peter Croker (8) & John Ward (10) and Shaun Langham (6) & Richard Scott (11); 40 Barry Allen (12) & Andrew Bremner (10), Phil Smailes (5) & Dan Smailes (1), Neil Elers (9) & Ashley Forbes (9) and Josh Chamberlain (2) & Brian How (11); 39 Robert Bentley (13) & Peter Stelling (12).
Overall: 155 Brooks & Sanford; 153 Scott & Mills; 150 Ward & Croker; 148 Allen & Bremner; 147 Chamberlain & How and Elers & Forbes; 142 Bentley & Stelling, Ian Farnham & Andrew Horsburgh and Mark Henfield & Paul Pearce; 141 Phil Beer & Kevin Cooke; 140 Steve Campbell & Maurice Anderson and Harben & Taylor.
Darren Ward, who joined Thetford in October, made home advantage count as he combined with Great Yarmouth & Caister pro Alex Holmes to win the February Thetford Winter ProAm.
Alex, who had the best score at the January ProAm with 70, went round in 71 this time but with some good integration his five-handicap partner trimmed eight shots off that total for a nett 63.
“I used my shots well,” admitted Darren, who chipped in for a birdie three at the Stroke Index 1 9th and holed a long putt for another nett eagle at the SI 2 14th. The pair won the ProAm by three stroke from Sam Forgan & Matt Lockwood from Stowmarket, followed by Jamie Abbott & James Tyler (Ipswich) and Paul & Alan Maddy (Gog Magog), both with 67s. Paul Maddy had the best pro score with 68, one ahead of Forgan with Abbott on 70.
“I always enjoy coming here and I always have a great day at Thetford. I particularly enjoy it when I can partner my dad,” said Maddy.
The AmAm was won with another impressive score, Paul Tuite & Doug Bottomley from Girton combined for a nett 64, one better than Alan Dickinson & Kevin Hayes (Saffron Walden) and two ahead of David Skilton & Steve Jarvis (Gog Magog).
Alan Maddy, President of the Thetford Winter ProAms, opened the prize-giving by saying: “We were so lucky with the weather compared to the forecast.” All those present agreed.
Thetford ProAm winners Darren Ward (left) and Alex Holmes
Minh Le, a 14-handicapper, had the first hole-in-one of his career at the 16th at Thetford. Minh was playing in the Midweek Stableford on Wednesday February 19 when his seven-iron tee shot disappeared from view onto the bowl of the green. "We knew it was on line and when I couldn't see it on the green I thought it could be in the hole. And it was!"
Minh, who has been a Thetford member for 12 years, was playing with Wayne Prigg and Jim Wren.
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Cheers: Minh Le (left) celebrates his first hole-in-one alongside playing partners Jim Wren and Wayne Prigg
The two pairs of Saturday ladies had to contend with storm Dennis which meant they played in very high gusting winds and squally rain so it was not surprising that they did not feature in the prizes for the Pink Ball Stableford. They did well to finish fourth and sixth.
Last year's winning score was 69pts but this time Julie Arthur, Cathy Bennett & Margi Lingham came in with 75 to win. Jan Bone, Mary Neal and Thea Towell were second with 74 and in third place Kath Malvern, Sharon Caws, and Pam Ellis returned 65.Other ladies results:
January Stableford: Division One - 32pts Kath Malvern (6); 30 Laura Todd (6); 30 Teresa Tarrant (14). Division Two - 37 Val Gallagher (24), 36 Cathy Bennett (21), 29 Val Cunningham (26). Division Three: 32 Sandra Gordon (32), 30 Janet Dickson (42).
Three Clubs & A Putter: Division One - 29pts Teresa Tarrant on countback from Moira Morgan. Division Two - 31 Gwen Dixon, 28 Sheena Perry. Division Three - 26 Pam Ellis, 25 Maggie Reid.
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