ROYAL PORTHCAWL

TOM Williams won the Strokeplay section of this year’s Royal Porthcawl Club Championship with rounds of 79 and 72 for 151, writes Tony Poole.

While Richard Hayes was the nett winner of the tournament (firing 71 and 72 for 143 blows) Williams had five shots in hand over Thomas Furneaux (80+76=156) on gross figures.

Richard Jones took third spot with 80+77=157 ahead of Stephen Hughes 79+79=158.

The other qualifiers shot: Harry Watkins 78+80=158, Richard Hayes 79+80=159, Lewis Mainwaring 84+86=170, Harry Evans 86+89=175, NG Jones 96+80=176, Rhodri Lewis 88+88=176, Bleddyn Taylor 91+87=178, Brian Nicholas 91+91=182 and Steve Bull 96+96=192. corded four pars in a winning 39 points.

She finished three points clear of Daniel Jakeway (birdies on six, 14 and 17) with Daniel Roderick collecting 35 points and Marc Stephens 34.

Meanwhile, Claire Davies shot a splendid nett 67 to lift the Ardee Cup with a birdie on the 15th green allied to five pars carrying her on to 8821-67.

Runner-up Shirley Lewis (79-7-72) was five shots back, and a low gross score contained a birdie on hole six and 11 pars.

Third-placed Maggie Townrow came in with 101-24-77; Diana Chinn was fourth with 99-20-79 and other good scores came from Ali Churchouse (94-15-79), Helen Calvert (86-6-80), Sally Bryant (96-15-81) and Jan McPherson (11730-87).

Steve Burgoyne took a Hanner Ffordd tournament at Southerndown, firing 40 Stableford points.

He finished three points ahead of S Hodson with Dr Michael Ruttley and T Grant both going around in par 36.

The latest Hanner Ffordd event was won by Alan Jarvis on the strength of 34 points, finishing one in front of GW Jones.

Stephen Owen Thomas entered the clubhouse with 32 points, as did John Lord and Kenneth Davies. hole 11 and matched par 13 times in 75-8-67 while David Rowe struck 81-1269 (10 pars).

Other fine scores came from Tom Watson (8616-70), Geoffrey Vincent (81-11-70), Justin Reed (74-4-70) and low gross man David Phillips (71-071).

Meanwhile, a late spurt led to Michael Daniels storming to victory last week in a Senior Section Stableford.

Five pars on the more difficult inward nine holes set up a winning score of 34 points to win by two points from Michael Rennie.

Three other players completed rounds with 32 points – Ronald Walters, Arwyn John (birdie on hole 17) and WAB Morgan.

Malcolm Brown shot a colourful 31 points with Alan Hyde and Andrew Calder both achieving 30 points.

On the Ladies scene, Mary Ellis was triumphant with 88-14-74 in a GUW Medal and Breakthrough Brooch event.

Her winning card contained a birdie on hole two and seven pars while runner-up Cheryl Western (83-8-75) hit the low gross score of the day courtesy of 11 pars.

Heather Jenkins was third on the strength of 100-24-76; Fauve Birch signed for 84-3-81 and Elizabeth Attwood had 99-14-85.

And Thelma Taylor took a Nine-hole Stableford competition last week on the back of 12 points.

Jayne Wilby, Celia Thomas and Sandra Morris all entered 10 points on their cards. against Marc Williams.

With Rees staring defeat in the face – he was three down with four to play – he went on to force extra holes.

And on the first extra hole he won the day to crown an epic fightback.

Leigh Roberts beat Chris Williams 2 & 1 to claim the Ridgeway Tankard; Dennis Phillips won the Chairman’s Salver at the expense of Rob Lloyd and Mary Lee t ook the Rabbits Cup from Ladies Captain Gail Evans.

However, a new name was going to be engraved on the Ladies Championship silverware.

And Rhianydd Morgan – runner-up two years ago – defeated Eirwen Humphreys through greater length off the tee.

Captain Paul Lewis took 47 players to glorious Pembrokeshire and the renowned Tenby club for Captain’s Away Day.

And captain Lewis came within a whisker of pulling off the win on the back of a sparkling 39 Stableford points.

But Lee Griffiths got one more point to take the main honours with third-placed Ieuan Evans also carding 39 points.

The team event was won by Lee Griffiths, Mike Howells, Gareth John and Wayne Snow with 120 points.

In domestic competitions last week, John Anderson returned to form with a bang, winning the Senior tournament with 37 points ahead of Les Williams 36 and Keith Lewis 33.

The Wayfarers event over 15 holes went to Gary Evans on 32 points; Norman Lloyd struck 31 and Peter Williams 29.

Wayne Whelan was bowled over in hitting 18 to take the corresponding nine-holer. rubbing his hands in anticipation.

But Green escaped with a par – and a share of the hole – to remain two holes up.

A par three on the penultimate hole then sealed the deal for Green at the end of a titanic battle.

The Summer League was won by Gary Dowling and Raymond Hapgood, triumphing 3 & 2 over Summerton and Andy Hill.

In a close contest, a chip in birdie on the uphill 14th hole turned the tide in favour of Dowling and Hapgood.

They followed it up in shooting an eagle on the 15th hole courtesy of a magnificent threewood that carried 243 yards.

It took them to within 12 foot of the pin, and was correctly called as shot of the day.

A par over the trees on number 16 then closed out the win.

However, Summerton and Hill were successful in the J P Evans Foursomes, defeating former Bridgend RFC scrum-half Rory O’Connell and his nephew Steve O’Connell by one hole.

Steady play from the former Ogmore Comprehensive School chums saw them hold a dormie two advantage.

However, Rory O’Connell then pitched in for two from 30 yards on the 17th green to take the match up the home hole.

But an O’Connell putt to take the match to extra holes burnt the edge of the cup, leaving Summerton and Hill one-up winners.

Meanwhile, former club captain Wayne T Burnell lifted the Cowdrey Cup with an exceptional 40 Stableford points.

A birdie on the difficult seventh home – stroke index two – and a putt for two on the 11th green carried him to a single point win over Elliot Williams (birdies on holes three and 10).

Third-placed Clayton Landells went birdie on nine and 12 to get 38 points with Alex North two points further back.

Par 36 was a popular score on the day and it was achieved by Ben E Thomas, Stephen Witts, Matthew Richards and Lloyd Pritchard.

In the John Smiths Cup, Steve Gillett and Nigel Phillips teamed up to win the tournament with 46 points.

One back came Stephen Morgan and Matt Richards with third-placed Ray Hapgood and Joe Kelly on 42 points.

The Senior Section last week staged Toastie’s Putter for Pairs with David B Ford-Williams motoring to victory on a toasty 44 Stableford points alongside Glyn Jackman.

In a tournament temporary halted by electrical activity when play resumed, Jimmy Blackball and Barrie Rowlands charged on to 41 points.

Michael Davies and Terry Haggerty were third on 39 points.

The only two of the day was sunk by Ford-Williams, who holed out on the fourth green.

The Ladies Section Autumn Betterball competition was won by Jill L Davies and Jacqueline Summerton with 46 points.

They were five points clear of Gaynor Ashman and Carol Harrington with Wendy Asquith and Gill Osborne third on 40 points.

Meg Allen was the winner of a Midweek Stableford competition, firing 31 points to finish just one point in front of Janet Roberts with Gill Osborne on the 30-point mark.

Earlier, Sian Hooper took a Stableford competition, shooting par 36 points.

Vicky Brooks was runner-up on 35 points; Janet Roberts struck 33 and Jill L Davies 32. was best gross scorer with 78-5-73.

And Ged Rave got the measure of some household names on the Grove scene as 47 members teed it up at the Newport club.

On a course in mint condition, Rave ran up an excellent score of 39 Stableford points to edge out Stormin’ Norman Williams by three points with Kenneth Bale also matching par.

Master golfer Colin Rumbelow on this occasion had to be content with fourth spot.