DEVONGOLF
DevonGolf’s Senior Team’s Channel League season did not get off to quite the start hoped for as they lost to Glamorgan by the closest of margins at Tiverton. Without doubt two of the strongest sides in the competition, matches between them are always tight and this was no exception.
The morning foursomes set the pattern. First Glamorgan pair, Jeff Thomas and Richard Jones (both Royal Porthcawl) opened with an eagle 3 and kept their advantage over Paul Newcombe (East Devon) and Peter Bicknell (Torquay) all the way to a 2/1 win. Tim Aggett (Warren) and Colin Papworth (Teignmouth) won the first against Adrian Bragg and Gwyn Jones (both Radyr) and somehow halved every other hole to win at the last. Richard Ward’s tee shot at the final hole in game three clipped a tree and he and Tony Allsopp (Tiverton) could not get the ball up and down, losing their lead over Mike Gwyther (Morlais Castle) and Keith Stimpson (Wenvoe) to halve the match. Match all level after 3 games.
Mark Evans (RND) and Dave Eva (Thurlestone) were always behind against Nick Grimmett and Brian Rigby (both Glamorganshire) losing 2/1 so all the attention turned to the last game. Paul Vicary (Saunton) and Barrie Keith (Warren) spurned a chance to go up the last ahead against Kevin Spear (Neath) and Steve Watkins (Pyle and Kenfig) but Barrie’s excellent iron to the last and the resulting 7-footer from Paul for a winning birdie secured the win. All square at lunch.
And close it stayed. The momentum swung either way throughout the afternoon with 6 of the 10 games going deep into the round. Newcombe succumbed at the 17th to Rich Jones in the top single, but Aggett immediately struck back to beat Thomas at the 17th in game 2. Allsopp had been 4 down early to Grimmett and battled all the way back to be 1 down with 2 to play, but birdie putts at 17 and 18 both stayed short as Grimmett won at the last. However Bicknell held the advantage over Bragg and finished off with a fine birdie putt to win, again at 17. First four games done, still all square.
Meanwhile at the back the last two games were also shared, Vicary winning game 10 defeating Watkin at the 16th but Keith lost a hole earlier to Spear. Two of the other games finished early with Eva getting the better of Gwyther whilst Gwyn Jones did the same to Evans. The middle games were going to be key.
Skipper Papworth was in a tussle with Rigby that flowed both ways before they came to the last level. Neither could find the green with their approach shots, but on the firm greens Rigby from short, Papworth from the bunker could neither get the ball close enough to make par. Match halved.
Meanwhile Ward and Stimpson were battling, the Welshman with a 2-hole advantage on the 17th tee. A fluffed chip gave Ward the chance to close, which he took. Ward always had the par with two sound shots to the heart of the green, but Stimpson hit his second into the greenside bunker and the escape left him 15 feet away. The putt was superbly struck and never anywhere but in, securing his win and the win for his team.
It was a great win for Glamorgan, and a disappointment for the Devonians, but the spirit shown and the camaraderie between the teams made an exciting match even better to be involved in.
Devon move on to play Somerset at Minehead next week.