Smith masters windy weather

Terry Smith shot his lowest completed round for seven years to win Sunday’s Lefevre Cup at Canterbury Golf Club. Smith produced a stunning 85 (net 65) in blustery winds from a field of 104, with no less than 24 players failing to register their score.

Despite a bad start, Smith (h20) came good in the end to secure the win, a year after finishing second in the same competition.

He said: ‘’I’ve been playing quite well lately, so when I started off really badly I thought ‘oh no, I’ve ruined everything’ but there you go. ‘’It was good fun, my short game was good and my putting was very good.’’

Smith (h20) thought he had blown his chances when he dropped six shots to par in his first four holes. Second on count back to Paul Davis in the same competition 14 months ago, Smith recovered with four successive pars before a double bogey at the 9th saw him out in 44.

But he dropped only six more shots on the back nine to win by three from Ben Rutherford (h9), who ran up a nine at the par four 10th to ruin his hopes, despite covering the last eight holes in three under par for a 77(net68).

Terry added: ‘’Last year I lost on countback from Paul and it’s great just to get back in it really and my handicap down. ‘’I had some time off because I had my hip replaced in 2018 but it’s slowly got better and better and everything is good now.’’

Jonathan Warman needed only 24 putts as he won Wednesday’s Stableford, the first men’s competition after the easing of the lockdown, on countback from Steve Girdwood (h9.3) and third placed Ian Cooper (18.3) and from a field of 80. Warman, who turned 18 in May and was last season’s CGC Junior Captain, racked up 37 points from a 6.4 handicap in difficult, blustery conditions. Both Girdwood and Cooper went off like rockets, dropping just two shots on the front nine with Girdwood making 20 points and Ian a terrific 22. But a double bogey for Girdwood at the 17th and no-scores for Cooper at the 12th and 16th cost them the win. Better still for Warman he also saw off his sixth placed dad Tony (h14.5). Warman, who showed his potential by winning his first Men’s Stableford as a 16-yearold, said: ‘’It’s always a bonus to beat my dad. It was just nice to get out playing again.” Beverley Mcneil (h20) returned to competition in top form to win the July Stableford overall last Wednesday and then doubled up in the ladies’ past captains’ cup two days later.