Red Rose veterans set sights on second title

LANCASHIRE’S senior golfers have one title in the bag – and now have their sights on a second.

The Red Rose veterans powered through their Northern Counties League campaign with an unbeaten run of five wins from five starts.

Mike Gray’s side had seen off Cheshire, Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland as they chased their first championship crown since 2016 and the fifth time in all since 2011.

And they made no mistake in dismissing their opponents in the final match, Cumbria, by a comprehensive 12-6 margin to complete a spectacular clean sweep.

Hard on their heels of the championship success came another impressive show as Lancashire won the Northern Qualifer at Delamere Forest to reach the English finals at Stanton on the Wolds GC on October 9-11.

The winning team was Tony Holt, Neil Self, Karl Bowker, Tony Flanagan, Ian Crowther and Bryan Hughes. They will be joined by Trevor Foster and Rob Godley in the eight-man team for the national finals.

Says Mike, who is stepping down after ten years at the helm: “The team have played superbly all season – they are a talented group of players and their pride, passion and attitude in playing for Lancashire and wanting to do well has been first class.

The successful squad includes newly-crowned British Amateur Senior champion Trevor Foster from Accrington GC and the man who succeeded him as Lancashire senior champion, Tony Flanagan (Clitheroe), as well as stalwarts like former county captain Billy Bromilow (Chorley GC) and Tony Holt (Clitheroe). Other regulars include Neil Self (Stand), Steve Lord (Rochdale) and Steve Matthews (Blackburn)