Dyrham delight
IVAN LENDL, Pat Cash, Stefan Edberg, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer. That’s quite an illustrious group that Noah Rubin has joined. An A-list cast.
Indeed young Noah punched well above his weight at SW19, overcoming all the odds to win the big prize in the Junior competition. He was just ace.
He played more games than his rivals, with his 7-6, 7-6 victory over big-serving Tim Van Rijthoven, on Independence Day, giving him the belief that he could go all the way as the unseeded Dutchman had taken down Russian no. 1 Andrey Rublev.
With no American man or woman reaching the fourth round of the Wimbledon main draws, Rubin was one of three US starlets to reach the semi-finals in the Boys competition which point to a potential resurgence for the once dominant nation of world tennis. He said: “It’s pretty rewarding, but it’s a lot of sacrifice.”
His parents have agreed, sort of, on his future path – to keep playing tennis and see just how far he can go, but to go to college as well. That’s always been the million dollar scenario for the top Jewish sporting talent, both home and away. But the prizes at stake if you go all the way to the top would certainly make it a gamble worth taking.
Laetitia Beck is another shooting star. I met her just over two years ago and liked what I saw. She told me then about her aspirations of competing in Rio. It was much more than a pipe dream and she has taken her game to another level since. Her development is something very special for Israeli golf.
Good things come to those who wait. And the waiting is finally over for Dyrham Park who are still celebrating their first Glancy Trophy success. The recent signings of Michael Charles, Stephen Schindler, Josh Davis and Ricky Curtis helped them break their duck and I just love Leon Moss’s line – comparing them to the “Manchester City of Jewish golf”.
A big thank you goes out to everyone who made me feel so welcome at the South Manchester Sports awards the other day. Not many amateur clubs last 65 years and their dedicated team of volunteers are an example to us all.
Jonny Davis claims they are “stronger than ever” and under the watchful eye of Paul Kirkham, who Davis told me “takes no prisoners,” I expect them to go from strength to strength on the pitch next season.
Excitement is building after Maccabi GB received a special invitation to send a delegation to Pan American Maccabi Games in Santiago next year. Daniel Collins said: “The level of Jewish sport across GB is constantly improving and this event will give us another chance to measure ourselves against the best.” Email dcaro@thejc.com and/or follow Danny on Twitter:@djcaro
GOLF Dyrham Park were toasting Glancy Trophy success for the first time after sweeping the board at the 76th annual tournament in Liverpool.
Winners of The Metropolitan a fortnight ago, Dyrham won the 18-team competition that featured the top players from the Jewish Golf Clubs and Societies in the UK and Ireland.
Dyrham’s Leon Moss described the victory at Lee Park as “a phenomenal achievement”.
He said: “As you get older, these opportunities get fewer and fewer so it’s really special when you win it.
“It’s an amazing feeling and some people are now calling us the Manchester City of Jewish golf.”
After a wet final practice day, the weather improved for the foursomes element of the competition. Although not long, the course asked many questions of the players and the best answer was provided by Marshall Newman and Ian Brill of Leeds Golf Society. Their gross score of 73 earned them the Coombe Hill trophy. Louis Levenson and Paul Freedman of WAGOS returned a net score of 67 to take home the Whitefield Cup.
In the team competition, Dyrham Park won the aptly named Dyrham Park Trophy for the aggregate of the lowest three gross scores out of four in the foursomes.
Sunday again saw good weather, with the threatened rain holding off until the last player had completed. Glancy Trophy stalwart Stephen Schindler of Dyrham won the Hartsbourne Cup for the lowest gross round, returning a score of 73.
Paul Simon of Dunham Forest registered the same score but lost a card playoff, taking home Glasgow Trophy for the runner-up.
Simon was also unlucky in the net competition as his score of 68 was matched by Jerrard Winter of North West London GS, with Winter taking the Potters Bar Bowl on a card playoff. Paul collected the Sussex Cup as runner-up.
The main focus of the weekend is the competition for Glancy Trophy, awarded to the team returning the six lowest gross scores in the singles combined with the three lowest gross scores in the foursomes. Dyrham, on their return to the competition, were victorious for the first time and took home the prestigious trophy. A team led by Anthony Cohen, who at 47 is believed to be the club’s youngest ever captain, also featured Richard Gordon, Joel Shields, Trevor Steele, Michael Charles, Josh Davis, Ricky Curtis and Leon Moss. They also claimed the Edmonstown Cup for the best net score.
People are now calling us the Man City of Jewish golf
Leeds Golf Society, the 2012 winners, were runners-up in the gross and were rewarded with the Shirley Trophy whilst WAGOS finished second in the net competition to secure the Abridge Cup.
An AJGCS spokesman said: “The competition is the highlight of our golfing calendar and despite the broadening of the membership of historically predominantly Jewish clubs, the enthusiasm for participating in the event has been growing in the past three years.”
Next year’s Glancy Trophy will be held at Bonnyton in Glasgow.