As it had been all week during the knock-out rounds, the weather was perfect for golf and the competitors in the four finals responded by producing some excellent golf. The main event, the club championship, was contested by two men, Kevin Brunton and Kevan McArthur, who had each won it on six previous occasions.
In the morning round, Brunton was twice one up in the early stages but birdies at the 4th, 5th and 8th gave McArthur a two-hole lead at the turn. After Brunton pulled one back at the 10th, McArthur restored his lead with a birdie at 12. Brunton then holed a good putt for a half at 13 and pars at 14 and 15 were enough to erase his opponent’s lead. Both players then finished bogey, par, birdie to go into lunch all square. McArthur regained the lead immediately when Brunton lost a ball after hitting his second shot at the 19th beyond the green into the bushes. Both players parred the next two holes before Brunton again squared the match with a birdie at the 22nd. Two good shots to the heart of the green at the par-5 23rd set up a winning birdie for McArthur and he went two up after Brunton three-putted the short 24th. After both players parred the next two holes, McArthur struck what seemed like a decisive blow at the 27th hole, holing a 30-foot putt for birdie. Brunton responded bravely but his own birdie effort horse-shoed out and McArthur now led by three holes with nine to play. Both players came up short at the 28th and McArthur missed a short putt to lose the hole. He was then stymied off the tee at the next hole but still had the chance of a half only to miss again from short range. Suddenly, Brunton was only one down and after halving the 30th, he once again squared the match with a birdie at the par-5 31st. He then caught his tee shot to the short 32nd a bit heavy and McArthur fired a five-iron pin-high and hole out for a 2 to go back in front. After finding sand off the tee at the 33rd, he hit a good recovery just short of the green and the chipped dead for par. Brunton was on the green in two but charged his birdie putt past the hole and missed the return to go two down with three to play. McArthur had one hand on the trophy when he holed a long birdie putt at the 34th but Brunton valiantly followed him in from six feet to keep the game alive. A superb long-range putt by McArthur at the 35th set up par and left Brunton needing to hole his birdie putt to take the match down the last. His effort slipped past and McArthur had won 2&1 to collect his seventh club championship.
In the final of the Handicap Championship, Andy Hudson built a three-hole lead on the outward half but Stuart Todd reduced the deficit to only one hole with wins at the 10th and 12th. Andy won the 14th but Stuart again pegged him back by winning the 16th. The last two holes were halved and Andy took the trophy by one hole.
The club would like to congratulate all Saturday’s finalists and also thank the main sponsor, Guardian Group, for their continued support (www.guardiansystems.co.uk )
PRIZEWINERS
Club Champion – Kevan McArthur Runner-up – Kevin Brunton
Handicap Champion – Andy Hudson Runner-up – Stuart Todd
Seniors’ Champion – Ian Malcolm Runner-up – Gordon Sinclair

Kevan McArthur & Kevin Brunton at the start of the day

preparations at the 14th during the first round...

The chase is on at the 7th in the second round...

Kevin's putt at the 17th just misses and he congratulates Kevan on his victory

Ian Malcolm & Gordon Sinclair by the 18th after their match...

Andy Hudson & Stuart Todd are heading to the 18th...

Neil McGregor & Russell Stewart after their match...





