Warwickshire Golf
WARWICKSHIRE CONTINUE WINNING STREAK
Warwickshire v Nottinghamshire - 7th July 2019
Team as follows;
Sam Broadhurst – Atherstone GC
Max Martin – Harborne GC
Joe Macilwraith – Olton GC
Tom Ibbertson – Coventry Hearsall GC
Tom Cleaton – Rugby GC
Lewis Phillips – Coventry GC
Mike Pell – Olton GC
George Gill – The Warwickshire
Rhys Lawrence – Coventry GC
Stuart Bloxham – Coventry Hearsall GC
The third league match of the season saw Warwickshire host recently crowned Midland 6's champions Nottinghamshire at Coventry Hearsall GC. This fixture promised a birdie and eagle feast with elite amateurs back from US colleges and games honed following appearances in the British Amateur, Open regional/final qualifying and top WAGR tournaments like The Berkshire Trophy. A good chance to spectate and see some quality ball striking and gritty matchplay battles.
Both sides put together very strong teams and the opening foursomes was a real heavyweight battle with Sam Broadhurst & Max Martin taking on Jordan Boulton & Dan O'loughlin. With a little more course knowledge which is key around Hearsall the Warwickshire pair created a 2up lead after 7. Par golf sprinkled with birdies towards the turn and through Hearsall's “Amen corner” kept the score at 2up following the par 5 15th. Max and Sam kept the pressure on to win 2&1.
The successful pairing of Tom Ibbertson and County Champion Joe Macilwraith played another class pairing for Notts (Foulkes & Dorricott), again Warwickshire were 2up after 7, further birdies on 8,9 and 11 made it 5up. A brief step back on 12 but the match was closed out on the 15th green.
Rhys Lawrence and Lewis Phillips were always ahead during the front nine and crafted a 2up lead after 11. The short, tricky 12th was won by Notts followed by a couple more wins quickly after resulting in 1 down after 15. Warwickshire won 17 to square the match but a solid par 4 on the demanding 18th gave Notts their first point of the day. The pairing of George Gill & Tom Cleaton found themselves 3 down after 7 but reduced the deficit to 2 after the 12th. A birdie on 15 made it 1 down with 3 to play. The escape was completed after 18 and a halved match, great battling Tom and George !!
Last foursomes pairing was Stuart Bloxham and Mike Pell, they could not have started any worse losing 1,2 & 3 but soon found some form birdieing a couple to get back to All square after the Par 3 7th. A birdie on the driveable 12th(306 yards) put them 1up but a short missed par putt on the 16th levelled the match again. Holes were halved in pars on 17 and 18 for a hard earned half point.
Lunchtime scoreline was Warwickshire 3 Nottinghamshire 2
The singles began with Sam Broadhurst wanting revenge on the man who knocked him out the matchplay stages of the British Amateur a few weeks earlier Dan O'loughlin. Solid ball striking got Sam 1up after the 8th and a birdie on 12 after hitting it green-side with 2 iron doubled the lead. A further birdie on 15 kept the advantage to two and the win was sealed on the 17th 2&1. Good to see Sam back from the US representing Warwickshire again.
Tom Ibbertson had a great birdie battle with Martin Foulkes, between them amassing around 12 birdies with Notts winning that battle 3&1, well played Martin !! Max Martin did not play regular golf on the first 6 holes but chipped and putted like a dream to stay all square, then he birdied 7 and 8 and following a 300+ yard 3 wood onto the Par 5 9th green rolled in the putt for eagle and a 3up halfway advantage. Max would keep 3up until a solid birdie 4 on the 15th would win the match 4&3. Joe Macilwraith at No.4 went about his usual business and was 1up after 7 and 2up after 11. A 30ft eagle putt on 15 got him 3 up with 3 to play, however his opponent fought back and won 16 & 17 to go down the last. Joe held his nerve and closed out his match 1up.
In form Tom Cleaton was 1up after 7 and then accelerated to 4up after 12, he would run out a comfortable 5&4 winner. Well played Tom. With that win Warwickshire had 7 points and only wanted one more for the match victory. Lewis Philipps found himself 2 down after the 6th and still 2 down after the 12th. Lewis won the 16th to remain 2 down with 2 to play only to watch his Notts man (Cole Betteridge) hole in one on the par 3 17th to win the match 3&1. Hats off to Cole !! George Gill made an impressive singles debut this season by going 2up after 7 and then 5up after the 12th. A brief step back on the 13th made the score 4up but a winning birdie on 15 gave George his point by 5&3. Warwickshire had won the match but there were still three matches to finish.
Mike Pell is becoming hard to beat and following 2 early birdies was 1up after 7, he would go 2up after 15 with a birdie 4. His opponent battled hard to take the match down the last but a prodigious drive on 18 left Mike in a great position to make a par and win 1up. Rhys Lawrence used his local knowledge as a previous member of Hearsall to take an early lead. He would be level after the 12th but lost thirteen and fifteen to go 2 down and then lost 16 to lose his match. Stuart Bloxham was determined to win his singles match on his home track and would not disappoint being 3up after 7 and 5up after the 12th. He cruised home to win 5&4 and complete a 10-5 victory over Nottinghamshire.
My thanks to Pete Clarke for the Match day assistance and Graham Barton (Warwickshire Union President) for your support on the course all day. My appreciation to Trevor Ryan (Captain) and his Notts team for a match fought in good spirit all day. We are grateful to Coventry Hearsall for hosting this fixture and appreciate their hospitality throughout the day.
Our next match is Sunday 4th August at Chevin GC against Derbyshire, which if victorious would win the Midland League with a game to spare. Come on The Bears!
Karl Smith
County Captain
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