GOLF: Matt battles to County title

The weather was fine and dry all weekend, but on the Saturday there was a very strong wind which made low scoring difficult.

There was a cut after 36 holes on the Saturday and 20 players returned on the Sunday to battle for the title of county champion’.

Three players were tied on a gross score of 149 - Jonathan Fox and Morgan Darnell from John O’Gaunt and Paul Kenna from Dunstable Downs - with Matt Hill from Leighton Buzzard one shot back on 150.

Hill was the eventual winner, with Darnell three shots back in runner’s up spot and Thomas Mead from Bedford & County a further two shots behind.

This meant that Matt Hill retains the County Championship title he won in 2014 and will go forward to represent Bedfordshire at the Champion of Champions tournament at Woodhall Spa in September.

The Team Championship went to John O’Gaunt who were represented by Fox, Nolan Darnell and Greg Osborn as they scored a total of 462 on the Saturday.

Mead was third in the overall standings, but with Hill having won the County Championship, he was declared the Colts Champion with a score of 227.

On the Sunday there was also the County Handicap Championships played over 36 holes, the first round being before the final round of the County Championship, and the second round after it.

There was an excellent entry of 63 players for this and the eventual winner, from Stockwood Park Golf Club was Paul Hulme with a nett five over after 36 holes.