Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Wife inspires Paul’s win
Paul Stewart claimed his maiden solo win at Canterbury on Sunday after his wife Clare told him: “If you’re playing in a competition today, bring something home for a change”.
Stewart was “elated” to do exactly that, scoring gross 80, net 68, to win the Blake Cup 5 club medal on countback from defending champion Scott Lindsay and third-placed Ian Munday from a field of 49.
A triple bogey at the 11th cost Lindsay his chance of winning the trophy for the third year running while Munday wrecked his hopes by three-putting the 16th and 17th after covering the front nine in oneunder-par.
Stewart ran up a double bogey at his first hole, the 10th, but covered the next eight in three-over-par, with a birdie at the 16th, for an outward 40. He was one-over-par for the first five of his back nine, with a further birdie at the fourth, dropped two shots at the sixth, but only one more on his last three holes to clinch it.
Stewart said: “My wife Clare told me: ‘If you’re going to play in competition today, bring something home for a change’ - and I did!
“I’ve never won anything at Canterbury before on my own and I’m elated. I’m very pleased and it’s been a long time coming.
“I won quite a few things at Broome Park and then I came to Canterbury, and I found it so hard. Nobody goes into the competitions at Canterbury just for a walk - they all want to win and that’s what I love.”
Sam Cliff thanked playing partner Derek Horne after recording his best competition round for his maiden solo win at Canterbury in Wednesday’s men’s Midweek Medal.
Cliff was grateful to his Hallet Cup team-mate for “sorting out my long game at the range” as he scored a gross 82, net 68 to, ironically, beat second-placed Horne by two shots.
Cliff was out in a four-over-par gross 40 with a birdie at the eighth and back in an inward gross 42 to close out Horne, who scored gross 78, with birdies at the fifth and sixth and covered the last six holes in oneover-par.
Canterbury made a storming start to their East Kent League season on Saturday morning, beating Chestfield 4.5-0.5 at Scotland Hills.
Levi Johnson and Stuart Gray won 4&3, Steve Robson and Shaun Pilbeam won 3&2, John Coupe and Mark Broadhurst won 6&4, Chris Sherwood and Brandon Ware won 4&3 and Ben Dancer and Simon Leggatt halved after Leggatt hit his third shot close for a winning birdie at the last.
Robert Green made up for some cruel luck when he scored a net 65 to win Monday’s Seniors’ Cup medal.
Green was out in a three-over-par gross 39 with a birdie at the first and back in 42, for gross 81 and victory by one from Chris Cheeseman, gross 86.
Bernard Disneur scored 85, net 67, to take third on countback from Paddy Barker, gross 94.
Claire and Michael Wilson scored 40 points to successfully defend their Whitehead Salver mixed Stableford four ball better ball title on Saturday. Claire scored six pars, five bogeys and two scoring doubles, while husband Michael weighed in with one par, three bogeys and a double as they won by one from Jack Barons and David Spencer.
Claire Wilson will also represent Canterbury in the countywide Cecil Leitch 5 Club finals day at Canterbury on Thursday, June 16 after beating Alyson Wreford 4&3 in the club final.
Dean Petch and Simon Fowler scored 30 points to win Saturday’s 12-hole GBSS#2 Grand Masters Stableford competition by one.
Val Binns chalked up her second win in 10 days with victory in the Connie Groves Rose Bowl medal.
Jen Rutherford and Georgina Carlotti, and Elizabeth Carlotti and elder daughter Claudia had solid wins to reach the second round of the Kent Golf women’s and girls’ foursomes Lohan Trophy.
Lexi Donohue, 11, scored 45 Stableford points to win her under13s’ division and finish second overall out of 26 in the Kent Golf East Kent Championship.
Claudia and Georgina Carlotti scored a sister act family double in Sunday’s gross and net junior competitions.
Claudia birdied the 18th to win the juniors’ Jack Snell gross competition by a shot with 97. Georgina finished one back in second but won the Bill Cryer Cup net event with gross 98.