Lambton calls the shots

Golf

Mark Lambton coasted to victory in Canterbury Golf Club’s Powers Cup, shooting a two-over gross 73 to win by six strokes.

The annual event brings together all the winners of the previous year’s trophy competitions and seven-handicap Lambton had secured his place in the line-up by lifting the Style Cup with an identical score of net 66.

Since then, he has shown glimmers of that form but without managing to go low enough to return to the winners’ rostrum.

However, after completing his outward half in one-under 35 and dropping only three shots coming home, the 52-year-old from Lydden signed for a 66 which proved comfortably enough to guarantee his victory.

Lambton made birdies at the first two short holes – at the second and the fifth – and although he dropped a shot at the long seventh, he had strokes in hand when he reached the turn.

A double-bogey at 11 and a another dropped shot at the 12th threatened to derail his progress but he got back on track, picking up a birdie at the 14th and dropped only one more stroke, at the long par-three 17th.

Second place was taken by scratch player Levi Johnson with a one-over 72.

He reached halfway in level par after a bogey at six and a birdie at nine but a double-bogey at the 10th left him with it all to do. The birdies he so badly needed failed to materialise, although he did pick up a shot at 16 but the Hersden man had to be content with runners-up spot. Leading scores: 66 M Lambton (handicap 7); 72 L Johnson (h0); 74 P Stewart (h12); 75 J Counsell (h16), T Worrall (h16), J Coupe (h1); 76 T Stannard (h11); 77 L Kirkham (h5), T Wenham (h13); 78 P Bundock (h9). 7 other scores.

Canterbury ladies’ Pollard Cup was decided on countback after five players finished with net 69s.

Doreen Whiting, playing off a handicap of 32, was the winner with Fran Fearn (h17) second, Gillian Bailey (h28) third, Angela Le Breton (h27) fourth and Charlotte Launois (h25) fifth.

The nine-hole competition held afterwards was won by Ann White, with 36 points. Kathleen Taylor was second with 34.

Mark Lambton repeated his score from the Style Cup for a six-stroke win