Woodhouse wins matchplay title

Maurice Woodhouse had to work overtime to reach the final of the Individual Matchplay but waltzed away with the title with a 6/5 drubbing of Phil Sellers.

Despite giving Phil two shots off the blue tees on a drizzly day, Mo made the perfect start by winning the par-five first and par-three second with pars. He went three ahead with another par three at No 5 before Phil hit back with a bogey to take No 6 to trim the deficit..

Another par at the next restored Mo's comfortable lead, but Phil parred No 8 to get the margin back to two. However, Mo kept the pressure on by winning No 9 with a bogey six to start the back nine three-up.

With Phil struggling with a sore arm in the muddy conditions, Mo took a stranglehold by winning No 10 with a bogey and No 11 with a par. Phil rallied briefly with a bogey win at the par five, but it ended at the long uphill 13th with an ugly double bogey good enough to give Mo a big and deserved victory.

The plate final between Pete Green and James Campion was much closer and competitive. They shared the first with pars before James birdied the second  to take the lead. He parred the long third - one of two shot holes that Pete got - to halve the hole. But Pete won the uphill 4th with a good par only to give the lead back to James at the 6th who won with a par.. Pete tied it up at the next with a fine birdie and went ahead at the 8th with a bogey after both found trouble.

Out in matching 39s, they both parred No 10 and 11 before James levelled it up at the 12th with a par five. Pete his back at the next - where he got his other shot - with a bogey to again edge ahead. They both went bogey, par, par, par to halved the next four holes, although James will rue a three-putt on No 14. He looked likely to take it to extra holes when he bombed his drive down the testing 18th, while Pete had to lay up after straying off the tee. However, much to everyone's surprise James chunked his second into the river and made a double. Pete then sunk a good putt from the back of the green for a bogey and a meritorious 2-up win. Both guys shot 80 in the difficult conditions.

In the match of the day for those not involved in the finals, Dean Goodman won on countback from Bryan Ramsey and Peter Watson after all three posted net 73s. Bryan took second, while Peter finished third. Andy Isle (75), Keri Kotua (76) and Craig Barron (77) were next. Dean, Peter, Andy and Keri all shot 80 off the white tees.

The twos money was split three ways between James, Barry Rhodes and Neil McLaren.

Next week (June 29) we play the annual president v captain challenge, which is a net round off the white tees.