Good morning, golfers!
It's joy(es) as the young guns shine
Youth overcame experience this weekend when the leading three players in The Joyes Trophy had a combined age that barely qualified them for a bus pass! Saturday's winner in windy, chilly conditions was cadet Jack Shiner with 38 points on countback from Sam North. Third on countback was Luke Brown from world traveller Russ "Trigger "Fields on 35. The course had to be playing tough as even the third place players received a handicap reduction! Congratulations boys, fitness was definitely needed out there last week.
Ladies still delivering the goods
Karen Batch and Tina Gregory made it through to the next round of the Daily Mail Foursomes after a roller coaster win at Whitstable at the weekend. Two up early they fell behind at the turn and stayed there until late on with a Rory like finish to win 2&1. Brilliant result girls and good luck in the third round!
Home advantage Buttons up a second round tie
Captain, Graham Button's Thornton Cup team got off to the perfect start with a 12-3 win at the weekend. 3-2 up in the morning foursomes, someone turned the volume up on the wind machine in the afternoon and opponents, Maylands just couldn't cope. The win gives the team another home tie in the second round, a bonus, to get the team in that all important competitive mind-set. Both youth and experience made their debuts in the match, cadets, Zac Chegwidden and Will Percival came through with two points each. Another debutant, 50 year old Paul King also contributed two points although he will not want to remember his first Thornton Cup shot, a big pull into the gorse to lose his partners ball! It can happen to good players as well.
Sophie goes a hunting
Cadet Sophie Wheeler and her partner Tracy Rooney were successful in their first round match of the Essex Ladies Hunter Foursomes at the weekend. The event is played as foursomes to give the girls competition experience and get them involved in the county scene. Sophie is a County Ambassador for the girls section so she is well versed in county involvement. Her 6&4 win with Tracy was stylish in very blustery conditions and they must now be contenders for the title. We wish them both the very best in the next round.
Cadets come up short
Orsett cadets came up just short in their first Youth Shield match of the season against English Champions, Rochford Hundred. A 3-2 score wasn't the best result but it doesn't mean the cadets are out of it. If they can win their other league matches there is a good chance they could make it into the knockout stage later in the year. Next up is Boyce Hill, so good luck team you can turn it around.
Paul is back in town
I know The Masters is long forgotten for most of us by now with the exception of Jordan Spieth and Paul North.
Since the start of the Augusta event Paul has been away playing golf in "Marbs'. Little did he know he had drawn the American in our Masters sweepstake so it was a "lovely surprise" to get back and put the winners green jacket on.
As you can see Paul is very happy with both the jacket and all the money put on his account!
PING fitting appointments
There are only half the spaces left on our PING fitting day.
Since mentioning it in the newsletter last week we only have four appointments left. If you think this fitting experience is for you get in touch as soon as possible, you do not want to miss out.
It's on Thursday, 28 May between 3:00pm and 7:00pm.
Rory McIlroy warmed up with a fabulous win in the latest WGC event last weekend. The only big decision the Irishman had to make was to fly to Las Vegas and get back in the early hours or get his overrun match completed with Paul Casey in the quarter final stage. Thankfully he decided not to travel, with Lee Westwood benefitting from the ticket. McIlroy's finishing was sublime all week and he literally owned the last three holes. He played like a World Number One with regular birdie, birdie finishes in his tight matches and even finished, birdie, birdie, eagle to beat Jim Furyk in the semi-final. He went all week without losing a game and was in complete control of his ball. He looks like the man to beat this week in Florida at the Players Championship, the event the media call the fifth Major. It traditionally has the strongest field of the season and with "everyone "playing it could be yet another brilliant finish on Sunday. McIlroy is set to play with Spieth and Jason Day; a mouth-watering group. Tiger tees off with last year's winner, Kaymer, who hopes to get his season kick started just like last year and Phil goes with Sergio. All mouth-watering groups, can you bet against the Irishman? Difficult but perhaps Furyk could revenge that semi-final defeat last week, time will tell.
The football season is coming to an end. Chelsea are deserved winners of the Premier league and next season they will host Bournemouth, nice weekend away for the supporters down there. What an amazing story, five minutes to being closed down for good seven years ago and now in the big time. Well done to them, can they stay up? It will be interesting as the manager has a football philosophy which could survive at this level. Further down Southend blew their automatic promotion chance and now have to fight through in the nail biting play offs. Nine straight wins gave the Blues the chance but Morecombe was a game too far. Let's hope they can get it done this time and play in League One next year.
Enjoy your golf this week!