DUO HOPE TO LAND SUCCESS AT SCHOOL
TWO local players are this week involved in the final stages of the PGA Euro Pro Tour Q School that’s supported by Sky Sports. Jake Hapgood (Southerndown), who earlier in the summer joined the paid ranks, and Oliver Brown (Royal Porthcawl) are teeing it up today (Wednesday) in a three-day Final Stage event that’s being staged at two clubs – Studley Wood near Bicester, and The Oxfordshire in the Chilterns.
The tournament involves 57 players with Hapgood and Brown last week successfully navigating the first stage at The Players club in Bristol.
With 25 qualifying places up for grabs spread over three venues, The Players event involved an opening round on the Stranahan course during day one followed by a closing 18 holes the next day on the Codrington.
Hapgood ran up a score of threeover par 143 (74, 69) to finish in eighth place overall while back-toback rounds of 72 saw Brown finish on 144 to take possession of ninth place.
The top-qualifying scores came from David Langley (Castle Royle) and Leon Fricker (Yelverton), who both completed their rounds on twounder par 138.
What’s now involved this week is competition to earn the highest possible category on the 2021 Euro Pro Tour.
All 25 qualifiers who have progressed to the final stage have achieved a category 14 ranking on the tour.
However, those that make it into the tournament final become category 10 while the top-30 players will be in the third tier.
RYDER CUP
TEN years have gone by since Europe celebrated a famous win over the USA in the 38th staging of the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Newport.
And 10th anniversary celebrations have been accompanied by statistics that show a 74% increase in golfing expenditure along with a 69% increase in golfers visiting Welsh courses.
One in six people in Wales now play golf with one in four school pupils now having the opportunity to try the game and hopefully start playing.
The Ryder Cup is one of the biggest sports events in the world, and the never-to-be-forgotten Newport experience saw Europe and their captain Colin Montgomerie win the day, 14.5 – 13.5, on the Twenty Ten Course that was designed for the event.
The report went on to point out that the Ryder Cup legacy has seen 38 projects introduced to engage the next generation of golfers with driving ranges, practice areas and short courses like at Pyle & Kenfig all contributing to the development of the game in Wales.
And for a first time, an educational programme was also put in place alongside the school curriculum while closer links have been struck with several charities.
Due to the success of the Ryder Cup in Wales, there was a duty to deliver a lasting legacy, and early indications suggest it’s being achieved.
FALDO SERIES EUROPEAN FINAL
TWO young lady golfers from Bridgend County clubs last week received the disappointing news that the Faldo Series European Grand Final has been cancelled.
Harriet Lockley (Royal Porthcawl) and Ffion Tynan (Pyle & Kenfig) were due to take part next month in the 24th staging of the event that was going to be held at Al Aun Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club in Abu Dhabi.
But due to travel restrictions - brought about by COVID-19 measures – a statement was made on the Faldo Series website.
It stated: “Thanks for your support this year, and we now look ahead with optimism to 2021.
“However, moving forward, we’re exploring the possibility of rescheduling the event.
“And should there be a chance of inviting the 2020 champions to a Grand Final at a later date, then we’ll endeavour to do so.’’
Harriet played superb golf earlier in the year to win the Faldo event that was staged at the Vale Resort and Cottrell Park clubs.
She shot a superb seven-under par score to not only triumph in the U16 bracket, but also win the event outright.
Ffion was runner-up in the U21 tier to Jessica Hall and like Harriet was looking forward next month to playing in Abu Dhabi.
And this wasn’t the only disappointment for Harriet last week, as Wales Golf also announced that they’ve cancelled the Welsh Boys & Girls Championships.
This tournament was going to be held over two days at the Radyr club commencing on October 27.
This was a rescheduled date for the championship that was originally postponed earlier in the summer.
Wales Golf Championships manager David Wilson said in a statement: “The safety of players, parents and staff remained paramount, and it’s with regret that we’ve had to cancel the tournament.’’
But Harriet, who is just 15 years of age, can reflect on a golden summer that saw her pull off two wins, two top-10 finishes and tied 33rd in the R & A Women’s Amateur Championship.
Her score average during 14 rounds of top golf was + 0.2 compared to par; she now possesses a handicap of +3 and is placed 830th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
“I’m disappointed that two big events have been called off, but I perfectly understand the reason, and will instead concentrate on my studies and golf at Millfield School,” she explained.
PYLE & KENFIG
DUE to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Pyle & Kenfig last week reluctantly decided to cancel the popular Cocks of the North (CON) that is traditionally staged on Sundays throughout the winter months.
It once more had attracted huge interest from club members, and the players who had already enrolled along with reserves will be kept on record for a hopeful restart a year from now.
But money paid for the cancelled CON Presentation Night along with the Away Day at Creigiau Golf Club can now be repaid via a cheque.
The hope now is any easing of COVID-19 restrictions will allow P & K to stage a CON Golf Day over the Kenfig course in late spring/early summer.
It’s also hoped that the Presentation Night - to recognise the winners from last winter - will also go ahead.
Though for many members Sunday mornings won’t be the same without CON action, there’s still a chance to play a social game and enjoy a drink afterwards in the club.
COED-Y-MWSTWR
ONE of the few clubs to retain competitions during the current Bridgend County local lockdown is Coedy-Mwstwr.
And despite wet and windy weather conditions, members have battled the elements and golf course with some fine scores being recorded.
A Saturday Stableford event attracted 79 players and despite the wind and rain, Andy Hill shot a winning score of 41 points.
Just one point in arrears was Andrew Quinn, and they were followed on the scoreboard by Bridgend Town cricket star Rhodri Owen 40, Rhys Owen, Andy King, Elliot Williams (all 38), Jonny Witts, Jamie Brown, Clive R Davies (all 37) along with par 36-point men Wayne T Burnell and Matthew Richards.
Highlight in 11 twos that were sunk on the day was former Senior Captain David B Ford-Williams getting a Tutu (twos on holes four and eight).
Meanwhile, on the Senior scene, there’s simply no stopping on-fire Glyn Jackman at the moment.
He last week won a Double Par Senior Medal off Yellow Boxes in the wind and rain with a fine score of 9425-69 to finish a shot in front of three players – Gerald Howe 92-22-70, evergreen campaigner Dai (Maesteg) Thomas 93-23-70 and Jon W Cox 8616-70.
Also riding high in the social-distancing Samuel Bevan snug were Jimmy Blackball (member 191) 9120-71, David B Ford-Williams 89-1871, Tony Lang 90-19-71, John Jones 84-13-71, Paul Reed 91-19-72, Peter Ashman 93-21-72, David Hughes 9725-92 and Philip Weston 83-11-72.
And the Ladies Section also defied wet weather conditions in staging two events with Caroline Jerrett winning a Stableford contest on 37 points.
A point back came Julie Davies; Olwen Maund signed for 34 points while Lyn Blenkharn and Julia Tomkins both got 33 points.
And sixth-placed Jill Davies, who shot 30 points, got a splendid two on the fourth hole over the treacherous pond.
Turning to the Ladies Autumn Betterball, victory went to 37-point finishers Jill Davies and Caroline E Tremlett from Joan Smith/Julia Tomkins 35, Julie Davies/Janet Roberts 32, Lyn Blenkharn/Elaine Williams 32, Nicola Hopkins/Denise James 30 and Niki Haggerty-James/Jackie Summerton 30.
And there was a fine two from Caroline E Tremlett on the fourth green.
GROVE
WITH competitions at The Grove also suspended – owing to a high percentage of locked out members from Neath Port Talbot – it led to plenty of interest from Bridgend County players in a Saturday Swindle.
It was won on countback 34 Stableford points by Geraint Thomas with Richie Cliffe and Ben Lacey the players to miss out on number-crunching.
Mike Davey took fourth place on countback 33 points from Steve Muir while Ed Channell recorded the only two on the day.