COMPETITION was fierce in the second round of this year's Perranporth Open Winter Foursomes played in windy but mainly dry conditions on Sunday, with no fewer than seven of the 16 matches being decided on the final green at the famous links course.
Four West Cornwall players are still going strong in the main competition. West Cornwall's former county champion Jon Coleman, partnered by Perranporth's James Davidson, recorded the biggest win of the day, defeating father and son pair Andy and Ryan House, of Truro, by a convincing 6&5 margin.
Matt Richards, partnered by Hayle Golf professional Wayne Graham, edged through to the third round with a one hole victory over St Austell's Dave Kitt and Richard Rowe, while West Cornwall secretary Gareth Evans and club stalwart Peter Darlington had a two holes winning margin over Truro's John Hyde and John Verran.
The third round of the Main competition and the second round of the Plate are due to be played on Sunday, January 6.
Results. Main competition – second round: Mrs S Taylor & J Watts bt Mrs K Allen & D Phillips 2&1; P Huckle & M Doust bt Miss K Mundy & J Greenaway 1 up; N & S Kirton bt M Norfolk & I Doocey 4&2; T Stevens & M Richards bt A Parkin & A Stopford 1 up; J Davidson & J Coleman bt A & R House 6&5; T Reynolds & B Postle bt S Bray & S Tunnicliffe 1 up; A & S Chivers bt G Marson & M Smith 3&2; D Saget & P Turpin bt D Murrish & T Benney 1 up; G Burn & C Martin bt M Bevan & M Lock 2&1; W Graham & M Richards bt D Kitt & R Rowe 1 up; M Pinhey & T Bean bt P Chambers & B Short 2&1; G Evans & P Darlington bt J Hyde & J Verran 2 up; D Thomas & B Skews w/o C Llewelyn & G Watkins; G Rowett & J Hammett bt A Watson & Miss L Hulston 4&2; P Matthews & M Cleverly bt R & J Durkin 1 up; D Pryor & A Hancock bt S Powell & N Jackson 3&2.
Draw – third round (matches to be played on Sun, Jan 6): Mrs S Taylor & J Watts v P Huckle & M Doust; N & S Kirton v T Stevens & M Richards; J Davidson & J Coleman v T Reynolds & B Postle; A & S Chivers v D Saget & P Turpin; G Burn & C Martin v W Graham & M Richards; M Pinhey & T Bean v G Evans & P Darlington; D Thomas & B Skews v G Rowett & J Hammett; P Matthews & M Cleverly v D Pryor & A Hancock.
Results. Plate competition – first round: P Gay & P Wilkinson w/o N Winfield & S Raynes; P Trewhela & M Salmon bt R Withers & A S Taylor 1 up; M & D Hawkey bt G Greenland & J Allen 2&1; M & D Gregory w/o N Rogers & C Kitt; S Wordley & T Griffin w/o D Neville & M Cock; M Churchill & M Prouse bt D Holland & R Perrin 7&6; I Veale & P Simmons w/o B & B Waters; G Russell & A Fieldhouse w/o A Milton & A Bennetts; N Ryan & R Button w/o T Murtagh & L Cunningham; S & D Briers bt J Pullen & I Radford 2 up; J Gay & K Martin bt R Fairburn & G Churcher 3&1; T Ringsell & P Adams bt D Duckham & S Cox 2 up; L Hammond & P Gould w/o R Page & D Lawton; J Pease & K Brenton bt T & D Savage at 19th; A Welch & G Smith w/o A & J Mortimore; M Noble & R Pople bt A Morris & S Hirst 3&1.
Draw – second round (matches to be played on Sunday, January 6): P Gay & P Wilkinson v P Trewhela & M Salmon; M & D Hawkey v M & D Gregory; S Wordley & T Griffin v M Churchill & M Prouse; I Veale & P Simmons v G Russell & A Fieldhouse; N Ryan & R Button v S & D Briers; J Gay & K Martin v T Ringsell & P Adams; L Hammond & P Gould v J Pease & K Brenton; A Welch & G Smith v M Noble & R Pople.
Some 115 members of the county's golfing fraternity watched St Enodoc's Joe Cruse receive the Ben Enoch Salver as Cornwall's Player of the Year at the annual CGU dinner at the Hotel Bristol in Newquay last Friday.
Cruse was rewarded for "the highest level of success representing the county in the Channel League and South West Week during the past year".
Fifteen-year-old Harry Hall, of West Cornwall, was named Cornwall Young Golfer of the Year for his success in representing his club, county and country in 2012, including an appearance for England Under-16s against Wales, while St Enodoc's Steve Chapman received the Cornwall Golfing Man award for representing the CGU at the highest level over the past decade.
Also receiving a citation for his efforts during the year was former president Gerry Fitter, of Mullion, who was named Cornwall Man of Golf 2012 for his contribution to the advancement of golf in the county.
The Cornwall Ladies' CGA is holding its annual meeting at Killiow GC on Monday starting at 11.30am.
Launceston's Jan Harrison is due to be elected as the new county captain in succession to Jean Reed, with Tehidy Park's Nikki Hodge as her vice-captain.
Among other officers to be elected are Sarah Taylor as competitions secretary and Margaret Swayne as treasurer. Jacqueline Wheeler has also agreed to carry on as junior organiser.
The draw for the 2013 Gammon Trophy will also be made at the meeting.
The recent atrocious weather wiped out all but one of the club competitions at Cape Cornwall last week.
During this period of wet and windy weather, the sun did come out for the men on Wednesday and this drew a decent field because the seniors were having withdrawal symptoms and needed their golfing fix.
Chris Perks came third with 35 points but he may well have scored more had he not dispatched senior member John Steadman to hospital with his wayward drive on the eighth. Thankfully, John is now fully recovered except for a bruised wrist, but it was fortunate he had adopted the stance of a professional footballer in a defensive wall, otherwise the bruise would have been in a much worse place.
Robin Smith was second with 36 points, but the winner was Phil Burroughs, who scored 37 points to win his first ever club competition and finally get his handicap cut.
One other winner who has to be given a special mention this week is new chef Matthew Grenfell.
He produced a stunning meal last week to complement the wonderful evening in the company of illustrious visitor Peter Alliss, who earlier in the day had braved the adverse conditions to venture out on to the course and enjoy the sea views, which he said were spectacular (see page 14).
Ray Crebo, David Miners, Steve Strick and Nigel Waters won the men's Texas Scramble at Praa Sands on Sunday with a net 49.6. Victor Debarros, Joe Hill, Roy Hillyar and Gary Peters were second with 50.7, Andy Holmes, Lee McGarraghy, John Murrish and Paul Murris third with 53.00 and Mike Jacka, Ed Leah, Francis Vickerstaffe and Nick Watters fourth with 53.3.
Judy Thomas won the ladies' Wednesday Stableford with 15 points on countback from Alison Jacka and Judy Harris respectively. Anne Griffiths won the putting.
Rachel Perkin was a clear winner of the ladies' November Stableford at West Cornwall last week with a superb 41 points.
Results. Div 1: 1, Rachel Perkin (9 hcp) 41 pts; 2, Judy Ryder (2) 36. Div 2: 1, Patricia Weaver (25) 32; 2, Felicity Chiddicks (22) 29. Div 3: 1, Jackie Hill (32) 28; 2, Viv Nash (30) 27.
