Newton’s birdie charge drives Consett to the title
CONSETT & District hailed being crowned men’s champions of The Mail on Sunday Classic as their equivalent of winning the Ryder Cup, after James Newton led the fightback to beat South Staffordshire 3-2 in Spain.
Their rivals from Wolverhampton had beaten a strong Kenwick Park team 3½-1½ in the semi-finals and again looked to have the advantage early on in the final of the world’s largest golf club team event.
Richard Hewitt secured the first point for South Staffs, winning two up, but Newton, 21, fought back from three down after six on the challenging North Course at El Rompido.
A few words of advice from team captain Gary Elliott at the 12th inspired a late assault by Newton, who birdied the 14th, 15th and 17th to win 2&1.
‘I didn’t enjoy the first 12 holes,’ said Newton, off one. ‘The first two birdies got my momentum going. It means a lot winning for the lads and being the best team. This is the biggest thing I’ve achieved by a long way.’
Consett, who knocked out Porters Park 3-2 in the semi-finals, went ahead when former Durham County champion John Kennedy triumphed 3&2.
Mark Dorritt sank a
slippery downhill 12-foot birdie putt on the last to claim a half and Craig Armstrong, who secured another vital half for Consett, said: ‘This is our Ryder Cup. I’ve never felt that way on a golf course before. I was quite emotional. It’s a massive achievement.’
Club captain Elliott said: ‘I had so much belief in them. I was 100 per cent sure we would win today.’
In the women’s final, teacher Mhairi Ferrol led Leigh to a 4-1 win over Bude & North Cornwall and hopes their win might inspire her students to take up the sport.
She gave the Warrington team a flying start, winning 5&4 after sinking a 25-foot birdie putt at the 10th, and said: ‘I had the game of my life. It’s a dream come true for this bunch of special girls. We’re so close. We felt like we won The Open.’
Ferrol, 53, off 20, is set to give a special assembly at Withington Girls School to show the pupils the prestigious trophy.
She added: ‘The school has been thrilled. Winning something at a national level encourages the girls to think they can too. I hope it inspires them.’
Fiona Webster and Nicole Smith of Burntisland Golf House made history in the finals when they both hit holesin-one in the play-off for third and fourth place.
It was the first ace for each of the stunned teammates. Webster nailed her tee shot at the 133-yard third with a six-iron and Smith fired hers at the tough 155-yard sixth.