Smith and Cole team up to take Mel James Cup

HUW Smith and Rhodri Cole won Carmarthen Golf Club’s prestigious Mel James Cup with a brilliant score of 46 points.

The victory was all the more special for Smith as he had previously played the event alongside his father and was full of praise for young partner Cole.

The parent/adult and junior competition produced some tremendous scoring despite the trickiness of the strict foursomes format.

Joint fifth place went to father and son team Steve and Sean Hazelby together with father and daughter duo Aled and Megan Thomas, both of which scored 39 points. Fourth went to former club champion Tim Jones and his son Rhys with an excellent 42.

Third were Ed Wheeler and Christopher Jones with 43 – Ed had been hoping to follow in the illustrious footsteps of his father Brian who won this event three times.

However, he and Jones were beaten to second by another father and son, Chris and Sam Reynolds, who carded 44 points. Amazingly, that was not enough as Smith and Cole took the title with two points more.

The Pee-Wees event was also keenly fought and the tremendous scoring was as much down to the excellent play of these smaller juniors as the parents themselves. In fourth was Simon Davies and daughter Erin with 24 strokes while Paul Davies and daughter Phoebe were third with 21.

Second place went to the club’s Director of Golf, Darren Griffiths, and son Ollie on 19 but they were pipped by another father and son combination, Steve and Oliver Rees, with just 18 strokes.

The Knights P C Evans Cup was claimed by Chris Smith on countback from Kevin Jones after both had recorded a score of 38 points. Ian Griffiths was third just one point back.

Susan Convery and Julia Webb posted a score of 41 points to clinch the Ladies’ Daily Mail Foursomes, two clear of Ann Bateman and Alison Rees. Elin Jones and Jennifer Williams were third on countback.

Carmarthen will meet Pennard in the semi-finals of the Ping Mixed Foursomes at Neath on October 8 with Woodlake Park taking on Clays in the other last four tie. The two winners then face each other later in the same day.

The first West Wales Golf Alliance meeting of the season at Glynhir had to be cancelled due to a lack of entries. They will try again on October 12 when Cradoc are the hosts.

A gross round of 97 gave 22-handicapper Eleanor Roberts the Breakthrough Brooch and GUW Medal at Ashburnham. Lynette Mortimer was runner-up with a net 78 and Olivia Martin completed the top three on 84.

After just missing out on first place in the last event, Benjamin Sheppard went one better in the latest Junior Medal, coming through to win by five strokes courtesy of a net round of 64. Ben Thomas was the player to finish second this time while Joe Francis took third.

A three-hole play-off was needed to determine Tredegar & Rhymney’s club champion for 2012 after Matthew Trigg, Alun Davies and Darren Sullivan couldn’t be separated at the end of 36 holes.

In the end it was Trigg who prevailed to become the champion with Davies and Sullivan having to settle for second prize.

Results

Ashburnham

Junior Medal; 1. B. Sheppard net 64, 2. B. Thomas 69, 3. J. Francis 72

Breakthrough Brooch & GUW Medal; 1. E. Roberts net 75, 2. L. Mortimer 78, 3. O. Martin 84

Carmarthen

Knights P C Evans Cup; 1. C. Smith 38pts, 2. K. Jones 38, 3. I. Griffiths 37

Ladies Daily Mail Foursomes; 1. S. Convery & J. Webb 41pts, 2. A. Bateman & A. Rees 39, 3. E. Jones & J. Williams 39

Dewstow

Pyman Marsh Bowl; 1. L. Fraser 32pts, 2. J. Sayer 32, 3. K Weare 31

Peglar Cup; 1. D. Pollard 32pts, 2. D. Hudson 28, 3. J. Wood 26

Monmouth

Phil Jones Memorial; 1. B. Kennedy 38pts, 2. B. Hudson 37, 3. M. Ingram 36

Pontypool

Members & Guests 4-Ball Stableford; 1. A. Jenkins & D. Watkins 43pts, 2. S. Jones & J. Hunwood 41, 3. J. Powell & T. Clachan 41

Tredegar & Rhymney

Club Championship; 1. M. Trigg 149, 2. A. Davies 149, 3. D. Sullivan 149