SCOTS FINISH THIRD AFTER LOSING
TO NEW CHAMPIONS ENGLAND
England won the senior men’s home internationals crown at Caldy Golf Club, Cheshire.
It was their first title since 2004 at Aberdovey.
They finished with a 100 per cent winning record over the three days, clinching the championship with a 5-4 win over the defending champions, Scotland.
Ireland beat Wales 5 ½-3 ½ in the other concluding match to take second place with two wins to Scotland’s one.
Wales lost all three matches.
The Scots trailed 2-1 to England after the foursomes but fought back to share the singles 3-3. Their afternoon winners were Stephen Ellis (Cowal) and John Fraser (Royal Burgess), one of three new caps in the team.
Donald McCart (Castlerock) and John Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) both battled gamely over the closing holes to come from behind and gain halved matches.
Ellis was Scotland’s most successful player with 4pt out of six, half-a-point ahead of Fraser who had five outings. Jim Watt (Letham Grange) had a satisfactory over-55s debut with three wins out of six.
Skipper Ian Hutcheon (Monifieth) gathered 3pt out of a possible five.
The MVP of the tournament was England’s Alan Squires with 5pt out of six.
FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE:
England’s victory means that they now hold all three Home International titles following the earlier wins by the boys and men. But the win didn’t come easy. Although England took the foursomes 2-1 against Scotland, they were made to sweat before being able to confirm their overall success.
At one stage only one England player led in the six matches and it was difficult to see where the other points were going to come from. But they slowly turned it round to get their hands on the trophy for the first time in three years.
“I’m thrilled,” said English President and Seniors Captain Richard Palmer. “At the start of the year I said I wanted to win back all three Home Internationals titles and particularly the seniors and we’ve done it.
“I’m also relieved to have beaten the Scots because an hour from the end we were only up in one match and I could see the worst happening. But it was a great team effort and I’m pleased that everyone earned a point.”
David Lane found himself behind on four occasions but battled back to tee off on the last all square with Jim Watt. Both found sand on the hole but Watt was generally in the driving seat and when Lane offered a halved match the Scot refused.
However, Lane then sank his putt for a par 5 but Watt three-putted for a 6, leaving Lane to take the hole and the point, having only led once and briefly throughout the match.
Andrew Morrison won the first two holes against Stephen Ellis but was pegged back after six and then found himself three down after ten. He managed to win the 13th and 16th with pars and the 17th with a birdie 2 to get back on terms only to lose the 18th and the match.
Alan Squires was involved in a battle royal with Scottish seniors champion Ian Hutcheon but was always in the ascendancy and eventually ran out a 3 and 2 winner to finish with a record of five wins from six matches, the best of the week.
Roy Smethurst was another to gain an early lead but he found himself behind at one stage to Donald McCart although there was never more than a hole between them. Smethurst got his nose in front again at the 14th and held it to the last only for McCart to birdie the last and snatch a half.
Doug Arnold was always playing catch up against John Fraser and he was still two behind with four to play. He might have pulled one back on the 15th where Fraser duffed his drive but got up-and-down for a half and he did the same at the next to keep his lead and seal the match 2 and 1.
In the bottom contest, Chris Reynolds generally held the upper hand against John Johnston but the Scot won the last two holes with a par and a birdie to gain a half.
In the other contest, Ireland ensured Wales would collect the wooden spoon when they beat them 5-3 with one match halved. The Irish edged the foursomes 2-1 but the Welsh had the satisfaction of marking their victory with the wide margin of 8 and 7 thanks to Glyn Rees and Michael Rooke in the top match.
Otherwise Ireland called the tune although the bottom match went to the last green where Hugh Smyth and Barry Reddan got home by the narrowest of margins. Most of the singles were close but at one stage it seemed that Wales might achieve their only win of the week. But it wasn’t to be although three matches went to the final green, Ireland winning two with another halved.
Click here to go to the English Golf Union website for the final results, news and photos, www.englishgolfunion.org.
Day 3 details:
ENGLAND 5, SCOTLAND 4
Foursomes: D Lane & R Smethurst lost to S Ellis & J Watt 1 hole; C Reynolds & S Smale bt J W Johnston & G Brown 4 and 3; D Arnold & A Squires bt I C Hutcheon & D McCart 2 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: Lane bt Watt 1 hole, A Morrison lost to Ellis 1 hole, Squires bt Hutcheon 3 and 2, Smethurst halved with McCart, Arnold lost to J Fraser 2 and 1, Reynolds halved with Johnston (3-3).
IRELAND 5 1/2, WALES 3 1/2
Foursomes: V Smyth & N Duke lost to G Rees & M Rookie 8 and 7; S McParland & M Kelly bt P Jones & K Stimpson 3 and 1; H Smyth & B Reddan bt B Griffiths & J Whitcutt 2 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: McParland lost to Stimpson 3 and 2, Kelly bt Jones 2 and 1, H Smyth bt B Cramb 1 hole, V Smyth bt Whitcutt 1 hole, Duke lost to Griffiths 2 and 1, T Goode halved with Rooke (3 ½-2 ½).
HOW THEY FINISHED
England 3pt (18-9).
Ireland 2pt (14 ½-12 ½).
Scotland 1pt (14 ½-12 ½).
Wales 0pt (7-20).
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
(X = did not play)
SCOTLAND
S Ellis WWLLWW - 4pt out of 6
J Fraser WDLWXW - 3 1/2pt out of 5.
I Hutcheon WXWWLL - 3pt out of 5.
J Watt LWLWWL - 3pt out of 6.
D McCart WWXLLD - 2 1/2pt out of 5.
J Johnston XLWXLD - 1 1/2pt out of 4.
G Brown LWLLLX - 1pt out of 5.
ENGLAND
A Squires WLWWWW - 5pt out of 6.
D Lane WDWWLW - 4 1/2 pt out of 6.
R Smethurst WWWWLD - 4 1/2 pt out of 6.
D Arnold WLWWWL - 4pt out of 6.
C Reynolds DWLWWD - 4pt out of 6.
A Morrison DXLWXL - 1 1/2 pt out of 4.
S Smale XLXXWX - 1pt out of 2.
IRELAND
H Smyth DWWLWW - 4 1/2 pt out of 6.
V Smyth LDWWLW - 3 1/2 pt out of 6.
M Kelly LWLLWW - 3pt out of 6.
S McParland LWLWWL - 3pt out of 6.
B Reddan DLWLWX - 2 1/2pt out of 5.
T Goode XLXWXD - 1 1/2 pt out of 3.
WALES
K Stimpson WLWLLW - 3pt out of 6.
P Jones WLWLLL - 2pt out of 6.
G Rees XDXLWX - 1 1/2 pt out of 4.
M Rooke LLLLWD - 1 1/2 pt out of 6.
B Griffiths LLLLLW - 1pt out of 6.
J Whitcutt LWLLLL - 1pt out of 6.
B Cramb LXLXXL - 0pt out of 3.
N Duke LXWXLL - 1pt out of 4.
TO NEW CHAMPIONS ENGLAND
England won the senior men’s home internationals crown at Caldy Golf Club, Cheshire.
It was their first title since 2004 at Aberdovey.
They finished with a 100 per cent winning record over the three days, clinching the championship with a 5-4 win over the defending champions, Scotland.
Ireland beat Wales 5 ½-3 ½ in the other concluding match to take second place with two wins to Scotland’s one.
Wales lost all three matches.
The Scots trailed 2-1 to England after the foursomes but fought back to share the singles 3-3. Their afternoon winners were Stephen Ellis (Cowal) and John Fraser (Royal Burgess), one of three new caps in the team.
Donald McCart (Castlerock) and John Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) both battled gamely over the closing holes to come from behind and gain halved matches.
Ellis was Scotland’s most successful player with 4pt out of six, half-a-point ahead of Fraser who had five outings. Jim Watt (Letham Grange) had a satisfactory over-55s debut with three wins out of six.
Skipper Ian Hutcheon (Monifieth) gathered 3pt out of a possible five.
The MVP of the tournament was England’s Alan Squires with 5pt out of six.
FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE:
England’s victory means that they now hold all three Home International titles following the earlier wins by the boys and men. But the win didn’t come easy. Although England took the foursomes 2-1 against Scotland, they were made to sweat before being able to confirm their overall success.
At one stage only one England player led in the six matches and it was difficult to see where the other points were going to come from. But they slowly turned it round to get their hands on the trophy for the first time in three years.
“I’m thrilled,” said English President and Seniors Captain Richard Palmer. “At the start of the year I said I wanted to win back all three Home Internationals titles and particularly the seniors and we’ve done it.
“I’m also relieved to have beaten the Scots because an hour from the end we were only up in one match and I could see the worst happening. But it was a great team effort and I’m pleased that everyone earned a point.”
David Lane found himself behind on four occasions but battled back to tee off on the last all square with Jim Watt. Both found sand on the hole but Watt was generally in the driving seat and when Lane offered a halved match the Scot refused.
However, Lane then sank his putt for a par 5 but Watt three-putted for a 6, leaving Lane to take the hole and the point, having only led once and briefly throughout the match.
Andrew Morrison won the first two holes against Stephen Ellis but was pegged back after six and then found himself three down after ten. He managed to win the 13th and 16th with pars and the 17th with a birdie 2 to get back on terms only to lose the 18th and the match.
Alan Squires was involved in a battle royal with Scottish seniors champion Ian Hutcheon but was always in the ascendancy and eventually ran out a 3 and 2 winner to finish with a record of five wins from six matches, the best of the week.
Roy Smethurst was another to gain an early lead but he found himself behind at one stage to Donald McCart although there was never more than a hole between them. Smethurst got his nose in front again at the 14th and held it to the last only for McCart to birdie the last and snatch a half.
Doug Arnold was always playing catch up against John Fraser and he was still two behind with four to play. He might have pulled one back on the 15th where Fraser duffed his drive but got up-and-down for a half and he did the same at the next to keep his lead and seal the match 2 and 1.
In the bottom contest, Chris Reynolds generally held the upper hand against John Johnston but the Scot won the last two holes with a par and a birdie to gain a half.
In the other contest, Ireland ensured Wales would collect the wooden spoon when they beat them 5-3 with one match halved. The Irish edged the foursomes 2-1 but the Welsh had the satisfaction of marking their victory with the wide margin of 8 and 7 thanks to Glyn Rees and Michael Rooke in the top match.
Otherwise Ireland called the tune although the bottom match went to the last green where Hugh Smyth and Barry Reddan got home by the narrowest of margins. Most of the singles were close but at one stage it seemed that Wales might achieve their only win of the week. But it wasn’t to be although three matches went to the final green, Ireland winning two with another halved.
Click here to go to the English Golf Union website for the final results, news and photos, www.englishgolfunion.org.
Day 3 details:
ENGLAND 5, SCOTLAND 4
Foursomes: D Lane & R Smethurst lost to S Ellis & J Watt 1 hole; C Reynolds & S Smale bt J W Johnston & G Brown 4 and 3; D Arnold & A Squires bt I C Hutcheon & D McCart 2 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: Lane bt Watt 1 hole, A Morrison lost to Ellis 1 hole, Squires bt Hutcheon 3 and 2, Smethurst halved with McCart, Arnold lost to J Fraser 2 and 1, Reynolds halved with Johnston (3-3).
IRELAND 5 1/2, WALES 3 1/2
Foursomes: V Smyth & N Duke lost to G Rees & M Rookie 8 and 7; S McParland & M Kelly bt P Jones & K Stimpson 3 and 1; H Smyth & B Reddan bt B Griffiths & J Whitcutt 2 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: McParland lost to Stimpson 3 and 2, Kelly bt Jones 2 and 1, H Smyth bt B Cramb 1 hole, V Smyth bt Whitcutt 1 hole, Duke lost to Griffiths 2 and 1, T Goode halved with Rooke (3 ½-2 ½).
HOW THEY FINISHED
England 3pt (18-9).
Ireland 2pt (14 ½-12 ½).
Scotland 1pt (14 ½-12 ½).
Wales 0pt (7-20).
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
(X = did not play)
SCOTLAND
S Ellis WWLLWW - 4pt out of 6
J Fraser WDLWXW - 3 1/2pt out of 5.
I Hutcheon WXWWLL - 3pt out of 5.
J Watt LWLWWL - 3pt out of 6.
D McCart WWXLLD - 2 1/2pt out of 5.
J Johnston XLWXLD - 1 1/2pt out of 4.
G Brown LWLLLX - 1pt out of 5.
ENGLAND
A Squires WLWWWW - 5pt out of 6.
D Lane WDWWLW - 4 1/2 pt out of 6.
R Smethurst WWWWLD - 4 1/2 pt out of 6.
D Arnold WLWWWL - 4pt out of 6.
C Reynolds DWLWWD - 4pt out of 6.
A Morrison DXLWXL - 1 1/2 pt out of 4.
S Smale XLXXWX - 1pt out of 2.
IRELAND
H Smyth DWWLWW - 4 1/2 pt out of 6.
V Smyth LDWWLW - 3 1/2 pt out of 6.
M Kelly LWLLWW - 3pt out of 6.
S McParland LWLWWL - 3pt out of 6.
B Reddan DLWLWX - 2 1/2pt out of 5.
T Goode XLXWXD - 1 1/2 pt out of 3.
WALES
K Stimpson WLWLLW - 3pt out of 6.
P Jones WLWLLL - 2pt out of 6.
G Rees XDXLWX - 1 1/2 pt out of 4.
M Rooke LLLLWD - 1 1/2 pt out of 6.
B Griffiths LLLLLW - 1pt out of 6.
J Whitcutt LWLLLL - 1pt out of 6.
B Cramb LXLXXL - 0pt out of 3.
N Duke LXWXLL - 1pt out of 4.
Labels: Senior men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Thursday, October 04, 2007
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