Fran in line for San Diego trip
CHESHIRE’S Frank Kennedy moved a step closer to the 2018 IMG Academy Junior World Championships in San Diego, USA after winning his age category in a British Junior Golf Tour regional qualifier at Brandon Wood GC on Sunday.
With World Championship places at stake in the BJGT National Finals at Park Hill GC in Leicestershire on Sunday, October 8th, the Prestbury member covered the back nine in gross level par on his way to winning the Boys Age 11-12 event.
Kennedy’s strong finish in an excellent round of 77 meant he finished three shots ahead Teddy Crooke (Burghley Park), with Samuel Epstein (Epping) in third.
Two other regional qualifiers for the IMG Academy Junior World Championships, whose previous winners include Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, take place at Littlestone Warren GC in Kent on August 6th and Wycombe Heights GC in Buckinghamshire on September 10th.
British Junior Golf Tour are also running a collection of Junior Opens over the coming weeks, including the prestigious events at John O’Gaunt GC on Monday, July 24th and Oxford GC on Wednesday, July 26th.
For more details of how to take part in any British Junior Golf Tour competition, please visit www. juniorgolftour.co.uk.
Styal Lady Captain Frances Purdy has been a member of the club for the past 20 years and she is enjoying a great year at her beloved club.
Frances said: “We have a course in great condition and the ground staff do a wonderful job, the driving range is terrific, the professional teaching staff are really good and I would recommend lessons from any of them.
“The ladies section is growing and there are lots of opportunities in the week and at weekends to play.
“I am now retired but do a little floristry work and my hobbies other than golf are entertaining, cooking, gardening, floristry, bird watching, walking and travel as well as watching Stoke City with a keen eye as my grandson, aged 12, plays for the Stoke Academy.
“I play golf two-three times a week and my best handicap was 28 and is now 30 and my personal golfing highlight was to drop my handicap from 31-18 in one game – never likely to happen again!
“My favourite course, other than Styal is Dunham Forest and my favourite hole at Styal is the par five ninth and by the time I have reached it I have usually settled down.
“My chosen charity is the East Cheshire Hospice and my chosen four ball to play with would be Pat Chadwick, Sue Grange and my Vice Captain Mel Hill because they are all very positive and encouraging.”
Styal ladies were in medal mode with Pat Chadwick taking top spot with her 73 seeing her home from Caroline George 76, Helen Billington 78 and Sue Grange 81.
The Terry Evans Memorial medal at Styal was won by Martin Mullin with 67, from David Offland and Finn Manning, both 68.
Ryan Owen was next in with 69 and he had the best gross of 72.
The Memorial Trophy medal at Styal was won by David Greenwood with his 67 taking him two shots clear of Paul Suchoparek, Brian Appleby and the ever-consistent Harry Reid.
A Styal Seniors Stable- ford was won by John Folds with 42 points chased home by Brian Donohue 41 and Gordon Hamilton 40.
There was a tight finish to the President’s Prize at Wilmslow with a cpo on 41 points going in favour of Alun Williams from Robert Bailey, Robert Bullock and Norman Dooley.
Medal action for Alderley Edge’s men had Robert Pindar on fire as he took division one with 61 from Dan Featherstone 64 and Stephen Lomas and Matt Spiller, both 65.
In division two it was much closer with Ian Pearce on top with 67, one less than Paul Grundy and Douglas Burns.
Medal action for Edge’s ladies saw in-form Karen Pennington as a clear winner with her terrific 65 seeing her home from Helen Thomson 71, Julie Ricketts 72 and Liz McGuire 73.
A two division medal at Shrigley Hall had Andrew Ellis winning division one with 65 from Mike Powell 67 and Jack Gaskell 69.
In division two it was a tighter finish with Tony Luck winning a cpo on 71 from Sunil Mehta with Tim Wrigley a shot off the pace.
A midweek Stableford for Prestbury’s men saw Ian Hayes win a cpo on 34 points from Rob Thorneycroft with Matthew Delany next in with 33.
Prestbury ladies played a par competition and beating par in division one were Emma-Jayne Bolshaw and Nicky Markland both +2 and Gill Mellor and Judith Durrant, both +1.
In division two Kirsten Forbes won a cpo on +2 from Gillian Buxton with Margaret Fairhurst next in with +1.
Macclesfield’s Sue Lawton was celebrating well after grabbing an ace in the Prestbry Ladies Invitation Day.
Back at Macc the ladies staged their own Invitation day and leading in with 41 points were Lady Captain Marlene Connor and Andrea Cheetham.
Also in the prizes were Gill Evans and Kim Blake 40 and Chris Gleaves and Hazel Balding 39.