DEVONGOLF
The Devon Men's Senior team turned in another strong performance in their second Channel League match of the season, playing Gwent at Stover Golf Club on Thursday, 26th May.
There were two changes to the side that defeated Somerset. Nick Draper was unavailable and Mark Taylor stepped down so Warren’s Jez Binch made his debut and Teignmouth’s Colin Papworth was available for selection.
Gwent had started the season with a win over defending champions Wiltshire, so the Devon team were ready for a demanding day.
The 9-hole morning Greensomes session started well. Torquay’s Pete Bicknell with Exminster’s Chris Audin tied up the point in the opening game against Newport pair Andy Williams and Mike Heyward, surviving a scare at the penultimate hole of the match with a visit to the pond. Team Manager Tim Aggett playing with Papworth also visited the pond at 8, but although par was saved the hole was lost to birdie, which left them 1 down playing the last where West Monmouthshire’s Steve Morgan rattled in a 30-footer for a birdie to close out the game.
Debut man Binch with Churston’s Rick Osborne opened with 3-birdies to be 3-up but were back to all square after 7. A further birdie at 8 restored their lead and a solid par at the last secured the win. Thurlestone’s Dave Eva and Royal North Devon’s Mark Evans easily won the first 5 holes going on to win 5-4. Tiverton’s Tony Allsopp and Warren’s Tim Jones continued their fruitful partnership with another win, this time 3-1.
4-1 to Devon at lunch.
The top order of the singles roared out again, Binch and Aggett at 5 and 6 the first to finish. Binch beating Dave Jones 7-6, Aggett beating The Monmoutshire’s Gareth Jones 6-5. Bicknell at 3 was not far behind, defeating Newport’s Mike Roper 3-2. Evans and Audin swept up the Newport contingent of Mike Heyward and Mike Brimble 2-up and 2-1 respectively. Devon now had 9 points in the bag.
Tumultuous things were happening in the top game, a match with very few halves. Andy Williams (Newport) appeared to have it all under control at dormy 4 up, but a superb 3,4,3,4 finish from Osborne clinched the most unlikely of halves for the Devon side.
Morgan claimed the only full point of the afternoon for Gwent, holing from off the green at the last to beat Papworth 1-up. Jones and Eva were in control of their games, defeating West Monmouthshire’s Rob Collett and Newport player (and Gwent Captain) Julian Knight by 4-3 and 5-4 respectively. Allsopp was down early against Newport’s Geoff Court, debuting for Gwent, but fought back to be all square playing the 17th. There a crucially holed 6-footer, after which Court missed from slightly closer, put the Tiverton man in control down the last, where he duly won 1-up.
Team manager Tim Aggett was delighted with the result, a second big win of the season as the Channel League programme heats up.
The next Men's Senior Channel League game is away to Gloucestershire at Lansdown Golf Club at the end of June, but before that the squad begin their defence of the Southern Counties Foursomes title with the Regional Qualifier at Royal North Devon Golf Club against Gloucester and Somerset.
For full detail of matches click here