JS Chorlton Trophies 31st. July 2021
Neil & Des Royle (22/25/47) The Royle brothers Neil and Des combined to add to their own and the family legacy by their victory in the JS Chorlton today .The pair started steadily and a 7-point haul from those tricky opening trio of holes highlighted by Neils’ 3-point par on 2 . Des was to contribute holes 3-6 highlighted by a superb 4-point par on 4 . Neil took over holes 7-9 with 3 pars which garnished 8 points to get them to the turn in a slender lead with 22 points . The duo put together a quality sextet of holes on the journey home getting 3-point pars on all but the 13th where Des’ 4 got them 2 points . Their performance on the Amen Corner holes enabled them to increase their lead AND trim the number of serious contenders with the result that they stood on the 16th hole with a 2-point lead over Gordon & Bernie with a quarter a further point away . The brothers played the ‘Championship holes’ well , utilising Des’ high handicap to get a 3-point par on 16 with Neils’ par 4 on 17 consolidating their lead to get them to 45 points and a gritty 2-point 5 from Des easing them to a magnificently crafted 2-point victory .
Gordon Boardman & Bernie Wood (21/24/45) have played very well as a pair and had two second place finishes coming into this event . Today the wily veterans started steadily with a pair of 2-point bogeys before Bernie got into the competition with a 3-point par on 3 to take closer order . Gordon produced a classy trio of pars on holes 4-6 to deliver 8 points which took them to the top of the leaderboard but could the lifelong chums consolidate to have the lead at the turn ? Sadly not , although they did produce a trio of 2-pointers it left them in joint second , handily placed just one point back . The duo started the journey for home well with a trio of pars getting them a quality 8 points to keep them within 2 points of the lead . On the 13th hole Bernie stepped up their challenge with a superb 4-point birdie 2 with the pair sadly not able to build momentum although their 2-pointers on 14 and 15 got them to the ‘Championship holes’ keeping within 2-points of the leaders but could they put them under pressure with a rousing finish ? Inexplicably, the pair stumbled to a bogey 1-pointer to effectively rule themselves out of serîous contention although they produced a stunning 7-point finish from Gordon as he parred 17 then magnificently birdied the final hole for 4 points to claim second place . A wonderful effort but they again fell just short .
Mark Snape and Ben Hallam (20/34/44) were a new pairing , matching the class and experience of Snape with the promising rookie . Snape took complete control of matters in the early stages , parring the first 6 holes to put his team just one point off the lead , highlighted by 3-pointers on 2 and 5 . The pair then 2-pointed their way the turn , with Haslam registering his first contributions with net pars on 8 and 9 which left them handily placed 2 points away from the leaders .
The pair took turns to contribute over the next quartet of holes with two encouraging Haslam 3-pointers on 11 and 13 showing that he was playing more relaxed golf and warming to the task of supporting his more illustrious partner . Predictably Mark again sgowedhis class with a brace of 3-point pars on 14 and 15 to get to the ‘Championship holes’ 3 points behind and in need of a stellar finish but could the pair step up to the task ? Again it was Haslam who produced an 8-point finish highlighted by 3-point pars on 16 and 18 which was good enough to secure a very creditable third place finish …
Special Mentions …
The local chums Richard Paulson and Ray Corcoran (21/23/44) came to this event in hope rather than expectation with neither having registered an individual victory this season with their highlight Corcoran reaching the semis of the Robert’s Cup . Today the pair had a steady start and after 6 holes their only highlight was a superb Paulson birdie on 3 as they stood on the 7th tee 2 points back . They parred to the turn for a strong 8-point finish , getting to the turn just a point off the lead . The pair again slowed their momentum with the promise of a Corcoran 3-pointer on 10 then cooled with a trio of successive 2-pointers to get to the 14th tee losing ground on the leaders and drifting towards mid table . But could the duo regroup and get back into contention? Ray again stepped up with crucial consecutive 3-pointers on 14 and 15 got them within 3-points but needing to maintain momentum in the remaining holes . Paulson took responsibility with an 8-point trio of pars which meant a decent 4th placed finish .
Matt Goodall and Roy Dickens (20/23/43) were a last-minute pairing but the experienced pair put up a decent showing but they had the angst of a ‘Ted Rogers’ start (3/2/1-pointers) but although they regrouped with 3-pointers on 4,5 and 8 , a sloppy 1-pointer on the benign 9th to get to the turn 2 points off the lead . The pair had several excellent holes , highlighted by the magnificent 4-pointer on 15 from Goodall and 3-pointers on 10,12,13,16 and 18 but it was their sloppy 1-pointers on 11 and 17 that restricted them to a fifth placed finish .
John Thompson and Matt Astbury (20/23/43) were justifiably one of the favourites for this event and it was Matt who scored on the opening quartet of holes ( two of them superb 3-pointers on 3 and 4 ) to start solidly . Thompson provided a couple of 2-pointers but after the promise of an Astbury 3-point par on 7 they ‘Ted Rogered’ their way to the turn with an unfortunate 1-pointer on 9 seeing them at 20 points and two off the lead . The duo regained momentum with a superb 13-point haul with a trio of 3-pointers and a tremendous Astbury 4-point birdie 3 on 11 getting them firmly back in contention but a couple of 2-pointers on 13 and 14 stalled their momentum and they were one of many pairs needing a stellar finish 3 points back . Their 7-point ‘Championship hols’ haul was not enough to challenge and they finished in sixth position .
Defending Champions Watch …
Ged Grogan and Glen Rothwell (21/18/39) were fancied to put up a strong defence of their title and the duo sgood on the benign 9th tee on top of the leaderboard with 20 points highlighted by a 4-point Grogan birdie on 5 .Unfortunately they only 3-pointed (Rothwell birdie/par on 11/12) two of the final 10 holes and they finished down the field in 17th place .
Overall a day where a quartet of our veteran golfers showed their course management nous to rise to the top of the leaderboard with the Royle brothers holding off the legendary chums AWood and Boardman for a famous victory .
