...WITH VICTORIES IN PORTUGAL AND IN COUNTY

MATTHEW Cort (Beedles Lake) also won the annual pre-Christmas pro/ am tournament at Kirby Muxloe in great style.

It was the 50th anniversary pro/ am and he fired a six-under-par-65 to finish first in a strong field.

Bruce Whipham, the head professional at Kirby Muxloe, said: “The course was in magnificent condition for this special anniversary pro/am.

“The weather was superb too especially for the time of the year.

“The greens were cut short and were running true and quite fast. So it was a great day with some low scoring. “This tournament was launched by Graham Webb, the former county golf union president, and by Bob Loughran 50 years ago and it has been well supported and remained popular ever since.

“Bob is 96 years of age now, but still plays golf every week.

“Graham came to the tournament dinner. So that was really good.

“Next year will mark my own 25th year at the pro/am, so I am really looking forward to more celebrations then.”

Cort birdied four holes in succession from the 2nd, dropped a shot at 7, but then birdied ll, 12, 15 and 17, before seeing another shot slip away at the last.

He finished one shot clear of Joe Dean, from Yorkshire, with Charlie Ford (Royal Birkdale) a former European Tour professional and leading international and county amateur when he was attached to Kirby Muxloe, third on 67.

Ford still teaches at his former home club.

There was a three-way tie on 68 between Craig Shave (Whetstone), Northamptonshire pro Simon Lilly, and Gareth Davies (Abbeydale).

Davies led the winning team on 21-under-par 121 when his three amateurs were Kim Duckfield and Oliver Brooks – both host club members – and Sam Punjwria (The Leicestershire).

Cort and his line-up – Daren Anderson (Scraptoft), Mark Pyne (Kirby Muxloe), and Duncan Jones (Kirby Muxloe and The Leicestershire) – were runners-up on 122 after a countback with Dean in third place with his amateurs Alex Dorry, Oliver Lett and Robert North, all from the home club.