Family affair as father and son are victorious

LEICESTERSHIRE and Rutland county golf union’s any combination Stableford tournament for the Jackson Trophies was decided this season at Birstall GC.

It was won by father and son Geoff and Louis Ferrar (Kirby Muxloe) whose handicaps are nine and four respectively.

They scored a total of 41 points and won after a tie on local rule with another member of their family, Geoff’s brother Keith Ferrar (Scraptoft), and Sam Myring (Scraptoft), who have handicaps of 13 and 18 respectively.

Third spot went to Paul Maurice (4) and David Coleman (6), both from Scraptoft GC, with their haul of 40 pts.

Scratch winners were Maurice and Coleman with 35 pts with former county captain Paul Frith and England senior international Steve Sansome runners-up on countback.

Geoff and Louis were third on 34 pts.

There was a field of 40 for the event, which has had to be cancelled a few times for various reasons in recent years – including the Covid pandemic.

It was a mixed tournament for many seasons, but was changed to an open due to lack of entries two years ago.

So this year’s event was regarded as a success and is likely to be repeated next season to maintain the variety of competitions organised by the county golf union each season.

Awards were presented to the winners by Frank Lock (Humberstone Heights), the county golf union president.

FORMER county captain James Billingham (Cosby) and teenage England boys’ international Frazer Jones (Kirby Muxloe) are both competing in the English Amateur Stroke Play championship for the Brabazon Trophy at Sunningdale this week.

Billingham, left, qualified by winning the individual award in the Midland Counties Championship at Overstone Park, Northamptonshire, last summer.

Jones was invited to compete because of his England international status. Competition will be intense from around the country and further afield.

The tournament is over 72 holes with a halfway cut for the leading scorers.