The Newark Cup Results

Gloucestershire Newarks Win by 1 point

 

 

What Happened – Day 1

After months of preparation, training and expectation the Newark Cup finally began. On May 6th, a select few chosen to represent Gloucestershire and Hampshire arrived at Tylney Park in Rotherwick to battle it out for one of golfs newest marquee matchplay tournaments. The ground staff had worked tirelessly day and night to get the course in world class condition to complete the tireless mission started in 2004 to land a matchplay competition of this quality.

The teams gathered in the club house in the early afternoon of May 6th to find out the first days pairings and meet the competition. With the pairings communicated and the shots confirmed the teams made their way to the first tee to start the competitions.

A pressure cauldron developed on the first tee as the lead groups teed off. Adrian displayed the class which soon saw the opposition calling him the Smiling Assassin as he and Rob took an early lead they would never relinquish despite Steve and Pete’s best efforts. The winning putt was sunk on the 17th to finally close the match out and give the visitors the first points on the board. Little did they know that would be the only point they would gain on the first day.

Ben and Ian took the match against Richard and Derek down the 18th but succumbed to the better team losing the last hole to register a 2up win for the home side and level the competition overall. Little did they know that Mark and Richie were being taught a golfing lesson by Brian and Dave who finished the job on the 14th to win 6 & 4, an absolute spanking for the away team.

With the match poised on the first day the crowds made their way to the final group. Could Nick and Andy even it up against Ian and Costas? As the crowd approached the last group the body language didn’t look positive and the news that the game had finished on 15th for an almighty 4&3 win to home team began to make its way through the supporters.

As the teams collected in the Players Bar to officially confirm the scores and share the shots, comments and outrageous luck seen on the course the big news was that Hampshire Newarks had taken a 3-1 lead in the Newark Cup after the first days pairs better ball competitions.

Day 2

After a good feed with copious amounts of drink, lots of banter and a quiz won by the Gloucestershire Newarks, well quizmastered by Hampshire Newarks very own Ian, at the New Inn, Heckfield the two teams took to the tee for the second day.  The over socialising definitely played into the Gloucester teams favour as the combined hangover and bravery of alcohol combined to see some brave shots off the 1st tee in a do or die day on the golf course.

By the 5th hole most of the matches were swinging towards the Gloucester boys. Robbie and Ben had taken an early lead against Richard and Steve  in the first 2 matches whilst Richie and Browner were looking for some form against some fierce Hampshire competition. In the latter games Nick was demonstrating the form which would leave pointless all weekend, Adrian continued his march towards a perfect return whilst Ian tore the course up. Mark was also tearing the course up but in an entirely different way and left his mark by hacking great swathes out of the rough leaving destruction wherever he went.

 

As the teams got through the first 9, the Hampshire team held the lead by 1 point with the Gloucester boys fighting back and up in 4 of the matches – but would it be enough. Well if you’ve got this far you know they did as it says in the results at the top.  In the front groups both Robbie and Ben had established leads which they wouldn’t relinquish and both finished their matches at the same time to get 2 points in the bank for the Gloucester boys and square the game up at 3-3. At the same time Richie found some form against Costas in the final holes and managed to finish the match on the 17th to give the Gloucester boys a 4-3 lead. Andy, in match 2, looked to be the weakest link after being 4 down with 6 to play but some world class match play golf saw him put the pressure on Dave to take it down the last. It could have gone either way but with a shake of the hands game 4 was tied at all square.

After the first 4 matches the game was evenly balanced 4.5 to 3.5 in favour of the Gloucester Newarks. As the supporters made their way to the last groups, news was trickling in that the penultimate match between Mark and Ian was over – but which way. Ian completed a perfect weekend for the Hants boys, cementing Mark as a pointless member of the Gloucester team, by thumping the young pretender 5&4 and putting the Hampshire Newarks back to 4.5 levelling the game. However the final match between Ian and Pete was going the Gloucester boys way and finished on the 16th giving the boys from the Cotswolds a 5.5 to 4.5 advantage. One more point would see the Newark Cup heading to Gloucestershire.

Who would bring the point home for Gloucester? Which of the Hampshire players could turn it round for the home team? Neither team knew what was on the line as they approached the 17th with the entire weekend riding on their matches. Adrian, the Smiling Assassin, lived up to his billing and took the points against Derek on the final par 3 to push the Gloucester Newarks to victory. It was a vital point as Brian fought back from 1 down over the final 2 holes to win the 18th and give the Hampshire Newarks a much deserved point and leave Nick as the second pointless player of the weekend for Gloucestershire

Final Singles Results