Dunleavy’s

Crosland Heath’s Mike Illingworth was five shots back in third place.

But after a bit of a wobble when he failed to score at the 11th and 15th holes, Dunleavy found himself level with Hutchings at the par three 17th.

Both players came off the island green with pars intact and all to play for down the final parfive 18th, where 10-handicapper Hutchings had a shot on his clubmate.

Two steady blows later, Hutchings was within pitching range, while Dunleavy, knowing he probably had to birdie the hole, had pushed his drive into the trees wide out on the right and with no obvious shot to the green.

But quality golfers often find a way, and to the disbelief of the gathered spectators, Dunleavy launched a miraculous five iron between, round and underneath the pine trees and onto the back of the 18th.

Hutchings, meanwhile, fluffed his pitch and his subsequent chip left him with a 15-footer to secure his par and nett birdie, which he knew he needed if he was to walk off with the trophy.

In the event, his putt was inches short, leaving Dunleavy two putts for victory, which he duly knocked in.

Illingworth had put himself in contention, but three blobs on the back nine saw his chances slip away, while Fixby’s Nick Wilson put together the best round in the final fourball with 33 points to clinch third place, which coincidentally was exactly how the top three finished in the opening round.

It was a fitting finish to the popular tournament - now in its 25th year - with Dunleavy and Hutchings ending the first two rounds with the day’s best scores and therefore front-runners throughout.

Consolation