Shave’s victory puts him top of the Order of Merit

CRAIG Shave was the professional in top form when the county golf Alliance meeting was contested at Humberstone Heights GC for the first time in eight years.

A field of over 70 pros and amateurs battled the wind and rain.

Shave, who said it was some time since he had played the course, won with his 5-under-par 65 for his 41 pts tally.

He said: “I really enjoyed it. I had not played there for many years, but it was in great condition and it was a good day for me.” Shave finished six points clear of runner-up Richard Reed (Glen Gorse), with host club pro Neil Parker (33 pts) in third and Dominic Fitzpatrick (Kibworth) in fourth place on 31 pts.

Chris Herbert and Tony Crowfoot (Kirby Muxloe) amassed 46 pts to be first overall, with Scraptoft’s Ant Arlott and Frank Hayes second on 44 pts on the Alliance rule from Shave and Mick Jordan (Cosby), also 44 pts.

Richard Reed and amateur Alan Crieghton (Glen Gorse) on 40 pts led the way in the pro/am section prizes, and the am/am award went to Dennis Hewitt and Andy Brunson, both from Kirby Muxloe, with their 43 pts haul.

Shave’s success at Humberstone Heights has taken him to the top of the professional Order of Merit with 25 pts.

He is clear of Matthew Cort (Beedles Lake), who was not in the field, on 16 pts, with Bob Larratt (Kibworth) on 13 pts and Michael Reed (Glen Gorse) on 12 pts.

Amateur Cyril Wood (Glen Gorse) remains top of the Alliance OOM with 14 pts, from no fewer than eight golfers locked on 9 pts.

Meanwhile, Cort finished runner-up in the PGA Professional Championship played over 72 holes at Trentham GC, Staffordshire.

He shot four sub-par rounds of 70-68-71-67 for his 12-under-276 aggregate over the four days.

In his final round after going out in 1-under-35, including birdies at 4 and 5 after a bogey at 3, he stormed home in 4-under-32, with two eagles.

Cort said: “I played well over the four rounds and moved through the field on the last day, so I was pretty pleased overall. It was a good tournament with a strong entry.”

Matthew Ford (CK Group) won with his 19-under 269 total, and Cort was tied in second with another professional, Jordan Godwin (Rochester and Cobham).