Cheshire v Kent for English senior

men's county title at Tandridge

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Cheshire and Kent will meet in the English Seniors County Championship title-decider after both completed impressive second victories in atrocious conditions at Tandridge.
Despite continual rain, often heavy, over the Surrey hills, Kent beat Staffordshire 7-2, while Cheshire overcame Dorset 8-1. These two counties have dominated the championship since its inception in 2005 and the title has invariably rested between these great rivals and it will be no different this year.
Should the match finish in a tie then Cheshire would have the edge with their greater number of game points, 15-13. The other match will see Dorset and Staffordshire vying for third place.
Kent, winners in 2007 on the only occasion Cheshire failed to make the finals, won all three morning foursomes for the second successive day but, unlike the first day, they left nothing to chance in the singles.
Chris Reynolds, Dave Jessup, Sam Smale and Howard Moxon each claimed big wins as did Glyn MacBryde for the Midlanders, while Barry Whitehouse gave Staffordshire a second point with a 2 and 1 win over Ricky Moore.
“It’s about time we beat Cheshire,” said Kent captain Nick Allen. “They always seem to have the edge on us so we will be determined to put matters right tomorrow.”
Despite the rain, Reynolds was level par through the front nine to be 4-up on John Loader and apart from a double-bogey 7 at the long 12th, he recovered to win 5 and 4.
Jessup was ‘Steady Eddie’ in completing a 4 and 3 win over Ben Rhodes, while Smale was all square with Neil Portas through the turn then won five holes in a row to close out the match.
Moxon was also too good for Nick Copestick although the Staffordshire man’s chances were not helped when he suffered a penalty shot on the seventh green when he accidently dropped his ball causing his marker to move.
MacBryde played the best golf for Staffordshire to beat Roger Salmon 6 and 4 while Whitehouse came back from two down after three holes against Moore to grab a 2 and 1 win. Cheshire also completed a clean sweep of the foursomes then put out their ‘big guns’ first.
Phil Jones, the Welsh seniors international, took a few holes to impose himself on Brian Medlam but birdies at the seventh and ninth saw Jones three up at the turn while he also won the next three holes, one with a birdie, on his way to a 5 and 3 win.
Roy Smethurst, the England Seniors cap, was always in front against Dorset president John Smith although he was only one up at the turn. However, wins at the tenth and 11th proved decisive as the Cheshire man ran out a 3 and 2 winner.
With little break in the downpour, Cheshire underlined their supremacy with George Payne completing his fourth victory with a 3 and 2 win over Chris Dennis, Bob Walker defeated David Lock 2 and 1, whileDorset’s only consolation was a win for Rob Clapp by 2 and 1 over Steve Baker, inflicting the Cheshire man’s first defeat.
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