Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Isherwood edges victory
Canterbury Golf Club
A birdie at arguably the most difficult of Canterbury’s par-3 holes set John Isherwood up for victory in the Gurkha Khukuri Trophy on Sunday.
But the 65-year-old was not to know how crucial that score would be until he found himself involved in a four-way countback for the title.
Isherwood carded a two-under-par 69 – a return that was matched by three other players – but the birdie helped him register the best back-nine score of the four to see off playing partner John Shiel, Simon Leggatt and Andy Williamson.
Fourteen-handicap Isherwood, who last visited the winner’s enclosure in June 2008 when he won the Brooke Rose Bowl with a net 66, launched his round at the 10th tee and solid putting saw him drop just five shots over his opening nine holes.
Only once did he look in trouble but after a poor second shot at the 15th, he delivered a wedge to two feet and sunk his putt for par. At the long 17th came the shot that defined his round. A cleanly-struck four rescue wood presented him with a 15-foot putt that he holed for a two and although he made bogey at the last, Isherwood turned with plenty of strokes in hand.
However, he started to play conservatively and it almost proved costly as he bogeyed the first and third holes and dropped two strokes at the fourth.
Three further bogeys left him on the borderline but as it transpired he had done just enough to secure the title.
Eventual runner-up John Shiel, on the other hand, threw caution to the wind at the final hole.
A bold bid to hit the green in two left him with no shot when he sent his shot right and blocked himself out. He ended with a bogey which denied him victory.
Seven-handicap Shiel dropped only five strokes in all, reaching halfway in a threeover 38 and making bogeys at the sixth and ninth to return in 38 and miss out on countback.
Third, again on countback, was 14-handicap Andy Williamson, who looked out of contention after dropping 10 shots in his opening nine holes from the 10th.
A birdie at the first prompted a remarkable change in fortune as Williamson completed his second nine in a two-over 38.
Fourth of the quartet on 69 was fivehandicap Simon Leggatt, who continued his inspired run of late.
Starting at the first, the Herne-based property developer made birdies at the first, fifth and ninth to turn in three-under 33 .
But he was unable to maintain his subpar form, dropping six shots on the way home for a gross 74 that earned him a handicap reduction to four, the lowest of his career to date. Leading scores 69 J Isherwood (handicap 14), J Shiel (h7), A Williamson (h14), S Leggatt (h5); 70 B Whybrow (h18), J Miller (h17), T Place (h12); 71 K Elliott (h13), R Askham (h6), G Lee (h15), I Munday (h11), L Elmer (h8); 72 P Stewart (h12), M Williams (h5), P Blake (h11), D Tottman (h12), N Parsonson (h14), J Horton (h12), P Bundock (h9), J Thompson (h7); 73 D Pilbeam (h6), C Gellatly (h5), C Bundock (h18), G Miller (h18);