Match up win

20/ 6/2008

MICHAEL Bedford returned to his golfing roots to win the Cheshire Matchplay Championship in style at Bramall Park.

The 19-year-old was a junior member at Bramall Park before moving to play at Prestbury last year and in difficult blustery conditions he was a convincing 6/4 winner in the final over Ringway’s Alex Hogben.

On his way to the final Alex Hogben began with a one-hole win over Cheshire legend Gareth Bradley (Bramhall) and completed his first day’s work with a 4/3 win over Ringway youngster Sammy Jaafari.

Former winner Neil Andrew (also Ringway) was his first victim on Day Two by 2/1 and the Ringway theme continued in the quarter-finals as Alex took out club colleague Henry Featherstone by one hole.

In the semi-final his opponent was also Trafford-based, the experienced county regular Kevin Kean (Ashton-on-Mersey), a finalist two years ago.

Again in a tight contest Alex kept his nerve for another single-hole success to reach the final for the first time. Sale ladies played for the Madeleine Sandbrook Trophy, one of their top majors, with home life member Margaret Cook buying and presenting the prizes.

Sada Kilby proved to be a very popular winner with a nett 69, which saw her win the silver division, and Janice Weyer took the bronze division with a nett 74.

Sale ladies continued their great progress in the national Mail on Sunday competition with a 5-0 whitewash of Enville from Staffs.

The high five from Sale were Cath Rawthore, Sue Barrett, Trish Alston, Hilary Tarleton and Sophia Casey.

Sale’s men played the fourth round of their Captain’s qualifiers and Russell Jones was the main man with 67 seeing him home from Michael Walker and Andrew Southworth, both 68 and Steve Price 69. The best gross came from Sale’s living legend Rob Kill with a neat 70.

Over at Acre Gate their members played two of their ‘majors’.

The two-day Rosebowl had James Gilsenan posting 133 to edge out Allen Hambleton 134.

In the Phoenix Open the winner of the home trophy was Margaret Greenwood and the overall winner was George Alliborne of Boysnope Park with 39 points to see off the challenge from Dave Potts Davyhulme Park. There was a pleasing entry of over 100 players for the event.

Ashton-on-Mersey’s men played round two of the Lawson Cup and D Huffman won a cpo on 64 in a tight contest with R Coppock.

Mersey ladies played their Coronation Foursomes qualifier and it was won by J Clews and L Rowley from E Taylor and R Hartley.

Local juniors Cameron Massey from Stretford and Haydn McCullen from Ashton-on-Mersey played their part in Cheshire juniors retaining the Four Counties u14 title at Broughton Heath in Derbyshire as their team eased home to a big win from Notts, Derbyshire and Staffs.

To get your club and individual results, achievements and special events in this report the contact is Geoff Garnett tel/fax 0161 881 7550 or email ggggarnett@aol.com.