Warwickshire Golf
MIDLAND BOYS 4 COUNTIES
Tuesday April 18 & 19, 2017, Walmley Golf Club - Boys Midland 4 Counties.
This is an annual contest, some 60 years old, between Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire and is played on a 'Round-Robin' match-play basis, 8 per side. Gloucestershire are the holders.
Warwickshire Team (in playing order): Tom Cleaton - Captain (Rugby), Tom Charley (The Warwickshire), Josh Davenport and Dan Pearce (both Maxstoke Park), James Bowen (Olton), Josh Kearns (Copt Heath), Cameron Bridger (Marston Lakes), Lewis Watson (Handsworth)
Day 1 - Warwickshire v Staffordshire:
Warwickshire looked in trouble from the start, being various distances behind in 7 of the 8 matches after 9 holes, but a fight back was about to begin and Josh Davenport and Dan Pearce grinding out victories, whilst Cameron Bridger, the '1', carried on to a comfortable victory, but with all the other matches seeming lost, the white flag was being prepared as No 1, Captain Tom Cleaton went 5 down, but, wait a minute, Tom suddenly started winning holes and when he took 17, he arrived on the 18th tee all square! As anyone who has played Walmley will know, this is a none-too-easy par 3. Tom hit the green and his opponent missed, but not by much. Tom hit an excellent putt, which took a 'bobble' just before the hole, which caused him to catch the edge and lip out, whilst his opponent, George Clarke kept his nerve and chipped in, turning possible defeat into a one hole win. No one could have foreseen the significance of this beyond turning an overall half into a 3 - 5 defeat! Note: Staffordshire's No 8, James Wilkes, was 6 under par for the 12 holes played in his match!
Meanwhile, Worcestershire were on there way to a 5 1/2 to 2 1/2 win over Gloucestershire.
Day 2, a.m. - Warwickshire v Gloucestershire:
This was a tight battle right through, notable for James Bowen going from a 5/4 defeat against Staffs. the day before to a 7/6 victory this time - he must have slept well! The result was, predictably a 4 - 4 half, with the other 3 victories coming from Tom Charley, Dan Pearce (again) and Lewis Watson (recovering well from the 6 birdies against him yesterday!)
Afternoon - Warwickshire v Worcestershire:
Could we avenge last year, when we were deprived of the title by Worcestershire , who, in the last round pitted their 2 losses against our 2 wins and beat us to give Gloucestershire the title on count-back. This year Worcestershire were the ones with 100% record, whilst we were relying on a Gloucestershire victory. The short answer is 'yes'. We got off to a great start in 6 of the 8 matches and kept going, with only James Bowen managing to get a half, against some pretty good play, from 6 up with 7 to play! Result 5 1/2 t 2 /12 to Warwickshire. Not long after this, Staffordshire's last 2 men in were holing good putts on 18 to secure a 5 - 3 win and take the title on count back with 13 1/2 individual match points to Worcestershire's 12 1/2, having tied on 4 team points. Warwickshire, thus, were 3rd with 3 points and 12 1/2 individual points. Now you can see the full significance of George Clarke's chip in and our captain's lip out on 18 in our very first match of the day before! How little can mean so much!
Special commendation: Dan Pearce our only 3 out of 3 winner. Well done Dan!
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