A new name on the County Championships Trophy
Cumbria's new County Golf Strokeplay Champion is Workington's Richard Mewse.
Carrying on the tradition of keeping the County Strokeplay Championships at Workington Golf Club, Richard came out of the shadows and surprised everyone at Seascale Golf Club Links with a 295 total which was good enough to put him into a sudden death play off against his fellow County player James Atkinson.
The weekend had started with hurricane force winds battering the course into submission and the players enduring the most testing conditions seen at Seascale golf club for many many years. The scores being posted reflected the severity of the conditions and no one had a score that was anywhere near to par.
The players were glad it was only 18 holes on Saturday and were looking forward to a calmer Sunday but were going to be disappointed. Mewse only just beat eighty and posted a 79. Sunday turned out to be even windier and the players began to tire of being blown from pillar to post on a course that could offer no respite for 2 full days. Mewse was 2 shots better but it was still a 77. The talking point of the day was the 68 posted by defending champion Kieran Waters who defied the weather and showed he was going to put up a fight to keep the title. Few would have gave him a chance after the 10 on the very first hole of this championship.
Finally the elements gave all 30 players a break and produced a gorgeous day in which the competitors could show what they could do. In the morning round Mewse was in no mood to mess about and posted a 1 under Par 70. In the afternoon round Richard, 6 shots behind the leader from the day before, began his attack in perfect conditions, and, for a change it was the heat of the sun that was the pleasant problem. With the big guns gathering and starting to show their worth the scoring started to tumble and pressure was starting to mount on the leader. With Waters out last and having to fend off a very big challenge from his competitor and up and coming star Luke Walker of Ulverston, he made a brilliant eagle on the 14th to Walkers birdie and the charge was on to get to the clubhouse. Kieran then birdied the 17th with a great approach and single putt for a 3 but word was filtering back that he may need to birdie the last in order to join Mewse and Atkinson already in the clubhouse on 295. Luke Walker, still in with a chance watched as his wedge shot 2nd rolled into the back bunker. Waters played a fabulous second to 8 foot then watched as Walker splashed out of the bunker brilliantly, only to watch the ball slither past the hole and he had to be happy with a four. Waters knew now that he had to hole out for a birdie to make it a 3 way tie for the lead but watched as the ball somehow would not drop.
The Sudden death playoff between two of the Counties best players was played in a fantastic atmosphere of mutual respect for each other but both knowing that one had to loose. Atkinson sent a massive tee shot up the middle of this 317 yard uphill par four,whilst Mewse pulled his up the left and into the first cut. Advantage Atkinson, who tentatively put his approach shot short of the green. Mewse had it all to do and his approach was too long and finished behind the grass bunker at the back. Mewse then putted his ball over the grass bunker but it was woefully short and all Atkinson had to do was lag the ball up to the hole. With tiredness creeping in Atkinson left a three and a half footer to win but had to watch as Richard Mewse sank an incredible 20 footer from just on the green to make a four. James Atkinson, who must have thought this was his time, had to sink a putt that he thought he would not have had to make, to stay in the sudden death decider, missed and handed the trophy to Richard Mewse. Two very worthy opponents but unfortunately only one winner. Many congratulations to Richard Mewse and don't worry Acky your time will come.
In the Seniors Championship held at the same venue in conjunction with the mens, it was John Rushforth of Seascale Golf Club who won on a better back 18 from Floyd Hewitson also of Seascale. The home club members obviously had an advantage over the others in being able to adjust their game to the hurricane force winds over the two days. Many congratulations to John, again, a worthy champion.
Created by intelligentgolf version 10.1.2.
