In-form Thomas celebrates double success at Derllys Court

DERLLYS Court senior Jeff Thomas has been enjoying a real purple patch on the golf course of late with a win double in the last few weeks.

With playing partner Ian Robertson, Thomas won the final of the club’s Seniors’ Pairs Knockout Cup then took first place in the rain-delayed opening instalment of the Winter Eclectic.

Thomas needed countback to claim that event after he and Dave Gladwin both recorded stableford scores of 38 points. There was also a titanic struggle for third but in the end Wynne Evans took it over Meirion Evans and Brian Newcombe, also on countback.

Prior to that, Thomas and Robertson were the only Derllys Court pair to win their game in the rearranged match at Trefloyne before they took on favourites John Hartley and Roger Horsfall in the finale of the Pairs Knockout Cup.

The first three holes were halved then Thomas and Robertson won the fourth and they kept their lead until the par-five 15th when a Horsfall birdie levelled the encounter. It was perhaps appropriate that the match should go to extra holes given there was little to choose between the pairings.

They still couldn’t be separated after the first but, with both teams hitting the green on the short par-three second, Hartley missed the cup by a matter of inches and had to watch as Thomas, whose red-hot form with the putter had kept him and Robertson in it throughout, sank a 20-footer to clinch the trophy.

Meanwhile, at Langland Bay, Simon Hughes and Andrew Jones teamed up to win the 4BBB Stableford but only on countback from Peter Lewis and Tim Padfield. Both pairs returned to the clubhouse with 42 points while Dave Norton and Stephen Rees were third with 40.

More than 50 players took part in the White Box Medal at Southerndown and it was James Hunt who made the most of the calm weather to emerge victorious with a net round of 69. The 12-handicapper won by one stroke from Matthew Williams.

Williams took second from Gavin Embling courtesy of a better back-nine after both had posted rounds of 70. Phil Williams was a shot further back in fourth.

Colin Rumbelow, captain at The Grove, held his rescheduled Away Day at Radyr with support from 35 club members. Brian Rees was the overall winner of matters out on the course with a total of 45 points, three better than runner-up Norman Rand.

Also at The Grove, Scott Jones just edged the latest Leon Warne Order of Merit event with a stableford score of 41 points. Terry Thomas had to settle for second on 40 and Ricci Burton was third with 38.

One point was also the difference between first and second place in the Ladies’ Coracle Shield at Carmarthen which was claimed by Jennifer Lewis and Sheila Neate with 34 points. Ann Heath and Susan Saunders were second and Patricia Langley and Olive Lloyd made up the top three on 31.

Results

Carmarthen

Ladies’ Coracle Shield; 1. J. Lewis & S. Neate 34pts, 2. A. Heath & S. Saunders 33, 3. P. Langley & O. Lloyd 31

Derllys Court

Seniors’ Winter Eclectic 1; 1. J. Thomas 38pts, 2, D. Gladwin 38, 3. W. Evans 37

Seniors’ Pairs Knockout Cup; J. Thomas & I. Robertson beat J. Hartley & R. Horsfall on 2nd extra hole

Langland Bay

4BBB Stableford; 1. S. Hughes & A. Jones 42pts, 2. P. Lewis & T. Padfield 42, 3. D. Norton & S. Rees 40.

Southerndown

White Box Medal; 1. J. Hunt net 69, 2. M. Williams 70, 3. G. Embling 70

The Grove

Leon Warne OOM 4; 1. S. Jones 41pts, 2. T. Thomas 40, 3. R. Burton 38

Captain’s Away Day; 1. B. Rees 45pts, 2. N. Rand 42