Warwickshire Golf
GREAT START FOR MENS 1sts AT KIRBY MUXLOE
Clear skies and sunshine greeted the Warwickshire 1st team at Kirby Muxloe GC in Leicestershire for our annual friendly clash with the Foxes.
A mixed team of established 1st team players, two making their debut and others wanting to consolidate their place for this season and beyond would make up the team under the new captaincy of Karl Smith. Unfortunately, none of the Warwickshire players had seen or played Kirby Muxloe previously and with Leicestershire fielding a strong team this was going to be a tough test.
Following breakfast and a decent warm up the opening pairing of Tom Ibbertson & Joe Macilwraith began the Warwickshire season by finding the first fairway. Solid early golf would see them take a 2up lead through 7 and then Birdie 8 and 9 to be in full control at 4up. Leicestershire didn’t roll over and birdies at 13 & 14 reduced the Warks lead to 2up with 4 to play. A further win for Leicestershire on 17 took everyone to the 161 yard Par 3 18th. With Warwickshire 1up our opponents piled on the pressure by hitting it stiff to a foot!! Joe Macilwraith doesn’t feel pressure and calmly struck his 8 iron pin high 8ft left of the hole. Leicestershire were conceded the birdie and it was down to Tom Ibbertson to hole for the match, he found the middle of the cup and provided the first Warwickshire point of the day........ Fantastic! Well done Tom & Joe for a point that proved crucial as the day progressed.
Coventry Hearsall pairing Stuart Bloxham & Rhys Lawrence were second out. Starting nicely they built a 2up lead after 4, carried on the good play to be 1up on the 12th tee. A 25ft Birdie on this tough par 3 for Leicestershire squared the match. A back nine wobble meant another couple of holes going to Leicestershire and they would close out the match 3 & 1 winners, unlucky Stu & Rhys.
Good friends Chris Laird & Ben Bernamont were our third pairing out. They started slowly being 1down after 4 but soon found made their way up the gears and produced solid par golf with the odd Birdie to get 2up after 12. A birdie on the Par 5 15th for a half kept the pressure on. Chris Laird dispatched a great mid iron on the Par 3 16th and Ben holed from short range to provide a 3&2 victory. Great win, well done!
An experienced pairing of Ian Winstanley and Paul Walker would find early form and progress to 2up after 4 courtesy of a long birdie putt from Paul Walker on the tough 466yard 4th. Leicestershire played good golf to square the match after 9, then won 11 & 12 to take a 2up lead. A Warwickshire win on 14 halved the deficit but a loss on 15 to Par, followed by a half on 16 left Warwickshire 2 down with 2 to play. Leicestershire closed out the match on 17 for a 3&1 win. Good effort Ian & Paul.
So, with the match at 2 – 2 our final morning pairing was the Debut boys Ben Goodison and Lewis Philips both playing from Coventry GC. Against a tough end pairing Leicestershire gained a 2up advantage after 9 and then chipped in at 10 for Eagle and won 11 courtesy of a short missed par putt, now 4up and a tough one to get back into. Ben & Lewis fought hard to get one back but would lose on 16 by a 3&2 margin. Excellent battling performance against two experienced Leicestershire players.
So as the players took lunch it was 3-2 in favour of the home side.
Rhys Lawrence from Coventry Hearsall led us out in the singles and whilst hitting some usual high quality shots, the unfamiliar course together with in-form opponent meant a 2 down score line towards the end of the front 9. Leicestershire kept that advantage until 17 for a 2&1 win. Rhys will be back to winning ways very soon!
Joe Macilwraith produced solid par golf in windy afternoon conditions to gain a 2up lead after 8, he then lit the afterburners with birdies and more pars to produce an emphatic 6&5 victory. Marvellous win Joe, well played.
Tom Ibbertson was out at No.3 and battled back from 1 down after 6 to turn things around and be 1up after 12. Two more holes won in quick succession and Tom's par on 16 was enough for a 3&2 win. Great day for Tom winning both AM & PM.
Match score 4 - 4
Ben Bernamont featured in Match 4 against the very solid and experienced Steve Sansome. Ben started well and was 1up after 7, however Leicestershire won back to back holes on 11 & 12 to reverse the score. After 16 the score remained the same but a loss on 17 gave Steve Sansome the victory. Good performance from Ben throughout the day.
Stuart Bloxham has huge experience as player and Captain and played as expected in difficult blustery conditions and early spring greens. His match was all square after 7 but got away from him around the turn and early back nine to leave the 12th green 4 down following a rude 20ft birdie from the Leicestershire player. With his opponent 4 under par for 15 holes, Stuart had come up against some of the best scoring of the day. A 4&3 win for Leicestershire, well played!
Paul Walker at No.6 started a necessary Warwickshire run of results. Although down early after 5 holes, Paul levelled after 10 and then pushed on relentlessly to record a 3&1 victory. Paul looked impressive in all areas of the game.
Debut man Lewis Phillips looked cool, calm and controlled all day considering the late call-up to the 1st's. No first tee nerves as he striped it up the first fairway en route to 2up after 7. Four up after 12 with par/birdie golf, the 5&3 win was brilliant for Lewis and the team. Congratulations Lewis on your assured debut.
Match score 6 - 6
At No.7 was Ian Winstanley who dusted off the clubs in the morning and then set about dismantling his opposition with his expected precision golf game. Ian cruised to 4up after 6 and then added a couple more to be 6up after 12. Great result from Ian winning 5&4 in the end.
With only needing a point for victory it was left to either Ben Goodison or Chris Laird to get Warwickshire across the line. Ben started well to be 1up after 5, then fell 2 down after 9. In a ding-dong affair Ben then stood on the 13th tee 1up. Three holes later Ben was 2 down again!! A shared par on 16 meant a 3&2 victory for Leicestershire.
Match score 7 -7
Although the timing of the matches meant we already had enough points when Ben lost, Chris Laird the Warwickshire anchor man, gave the whole team a boost by being 2up after 2 and 5up after 5 !!! He continued to dominate and stood on the 10th tee still 5up. He did not relent and equalled the largest win of the day with a 6&5 win. Well played Chris, full points on the day !!
This secured an 8-7 victory for Warwickshire and a debut win for me in my first match as Captain. Fantastic performance from the whole team against a tough Leicestershire team on a course no one knew. The match was conducted in great spirit and we wish Leicestershire and Rutland Captain, Martin, and his team all the best in their League for 2019.
My appreciation to Warwickshire President Graham Barton for his support all day and to Pete Clarke in the many ways he assists the Team and myself to give us the best chance of continued success.
The day finished well with a superb carvery, many thanks to Kirby Muxloe for hosting us for the day. The Warwickshire machine rumbles on to the next friendly against Northamptonshire on Sunday 14th April at Coventry Hearsall GC, all support is welcome.
Karl Smith
County Captain
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