Sudden death play-off title win for Cort

THIS year’s county golf union Babystyle County Open Championship produced an absorbing day’s play at Longcliffe GC.

It went into overtime when there was a two-way tie on 7-under-par and was resolved by a dramatic sudden-death play-off.

The pros involved in the drama were Matthew Cort (Beedles Lake), defending champion after his success last season at Hinckley GC, and Ashley Mason (Glen Gorse), who won this title at Kibworth in 2012, after ending top amateur at Longcliffe two years earlier.

This time they were tied on 7-under after both had 68-69-rounds.

But Cort won at the first extra hole, a par 3 on the course, which he had found to his liking all day.

He had his third birdie there in overtime when he struck a fine iron shot to 10 feet and rolled home the putt to retain his title.

At the halfway stage, Scott Wormleighton (Birstall) was at the top of the leaderboard on 5-under-67 with Cort, Mason, and two Kibworth amateurs – former county captain Martin Anderson and Oliver Lewis – all one shot back.

Cort has been county open champion on several previous occasions, since his success in 2000 at Lutterworth on his debut.

He said: “I am delighted to have won this title again. It is one that I am proud to hold.”

Cort thanked the L and RGU for running this tournament, especially in such a difficult season in which there had so few events in which to play.

Anderson and Lewis both added 2-under-70 in their second rounds for their 6-under-138 aggregates. Lewis became top amateur on local rule.