Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Jenny strikes back
Jenny Rutherford is Canterbury Golf Club’s new Ladies Champion.
She won the Sillars Cup after Wednesday’s second round of the 36-hole Jubilee Cup gross competition, to deny club president Ali Kingston (h5) an 11th successive title, on count back.
Rutherford (h10) scored 85 to trail first round leader Caroline Collins (h12,79) by six but on Wednesday she was was eight shots better with a 77, while Collins slipped to an 87. Overall, Rutherford shot a 20 over par total of 162 to hold off Kingston (84,78) while Ali Ord was third.
The Jubilee Cup (best net total over two rounds) was won by Anne Arnold (h23, 69,69), at four under par while Collins won the best net score Jubilee Year Trophy for her 67 (gross 79). Ralph Evans (Snr) overcame his health problems to rack up 42 points and win Wednesday’s Men’s Stableford, at the age of 82.
Evans (h23) suffers from Parkinson’s disease but outplayed his younger opponents, winning by four points from a field of 88. He scored 17 points on the first six holes before pain and tiredness saw him add only two more points on the front nine. “I have a job to play now,” he admitted. “I took some painkillers and they’d kicked in by the second nine; I was proud of that nine.’’
He scored another 23 points to win by four from Marcus Rabenda.
Gary Miller beat Lee Tidy 2&1 to win the Cecil Leitch 5 Club Knockout for his first individual competition win. Jonathan Warman (h6) aced the eighth as he won his first men’s silverware, the medal Gurkha Khukuri Cup, from a strong field of 95 on Sunday with a four over par 75 (net 69).
“It was a sweet strike,” said the 18-year-old.
“I started it just to the right of the flag to try to get a nice little draw and it landed an inch or so next to the pin, hopped forward and then spun back into the hole.”
Warman easily won on countback from second placed Finlay Parkin Bobb, with Melvyn Curd third. Canterbury’s Josh Bristow bowed out of the Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale on Friday afternoon but was justly proud of his overall performance. Bristow was making his debut in what is arguably the greatest amateur event in the world. The championship had an elite starting field of 160.
On Friday morning the Canterbury club champion swept aside Scotland’s Darren Howie (3 up) to cruise into the last 16 of a championship, whose past winners include Bobby Jones, Sergio Garcia and José María Olazábal.
But in the afternoon he came up against a red-hot opponent in Hallamshire GC’S Barclay Brown and was beaten 6&5. Fresh from a top ten finish at the Brabazon Trophy, the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship, the week before, Bristow beat the cut by two shots on Wednesday to reach the match play stages and easily saw off Italy’s Riccardo Leo by 3&2 in the last 64 round on Thursday. He said: “I know I’ve got more to give and I look forward to when I get that big win. “It’s the first time I’ve been in the event and I’m proud of my achievements. I would have loved to have won but when you play someone on good form you have to put your hands up and say ‘well done’.”
ASHFORD GOLF CLUB
Hot favourite Jason Barnes emerged as the clear winner of the Ashford Golf Club men’s championship.
The championship was played over 36 holes and excellent rounds of 71 and 69 saw Barnes win with a combined score of 140, featuring six birdies and two eagles, great scoring in difficult conditions.
Jack Owen shot scores of 73 and 74 to claim a worthy second spot while an excellent second round of 70 saw Liam Tegg take third place.
The ladies also battled it out over 36 holes and an excellent second round of 88 resulted in Janet James overhauling first round leader Virginia Zlabiene to take the title by three shots, with Tina Brookes in third place.
The veterans competition over 18 holes was won by former club captain Keith Hopson who carded a fine round of 78, five shots ahead of Keith James. James Mitchell and Norman Barnes returned scores of 84 to share third place.
The junior champion is Heston King whose round of 87 was just one shot clear of runner-up Lewan Smith, with Jack Wood completing the podium places. The Groombridge Trophy, a Foursomes event featuring an adult and a junior, was won by David and Luke Griggs with a score of 72.5 clear of runners-up Jack and Tracyann Wood, with their score of 80.
FAVERSHAM GOLF CLUB
F aver sham Golf Club’ s junior section contested the rescheduled Junior Open last week which included some home players in the winners’ enclosure.
Thirty competitors from across Kent, Suffolk and London took
part, with Riley Dowle (h7) the gross winner with a round of 73, ahead of runner-up Jack Swift (h4, 76 c/b). Handicap winner was Skye Fontanelli, 64 (h18) and the runner-up Oliver Mcdonnell, 65 (h20).
Division 1 first place went to Ben Searle 68 (h8) with Tom Paterson in second (70, h6). First place in Division 2 was Jake Connolly (67 h29) with Tyrese Danso in second (69 c/b h11). Last Thursday’s annual friendly match with the Old Cock Pheasants was won by Faversham 4.5-1.5. General manager Paul Smith said: “We had a lovely mix of girls, boys, mixed ability and ages, and our opponents were blown away with the standard of golf and their politeness and etiquette.
“A wonderful example of what junior golf sets out to achieve at Faversham. Well done!” Sunday’s President’s Prize was very well supported and club president David Lurcock proved to be a perfect host. Juniors Presidents’ Prize 2020 went to Marley Klosek (1st place, 40 points on countback) with Skye Fontanelli second (40) and Raif Fontanelli third on 39 points.
The junior blue-tees presidents’ prize went to Max Klosek in first, Annabel Lucas second, Ellie Taylor third and River Fontanelli fourth.