Garnett on Golf: Abbott hoping to find his feet in Africa

The Ipswich player has been warming up on the Portugal Pro Golf Tour on The Algarve, but will hope to find his best form in Africa.

Many of the leading European Tour players are missing this event which gives Abbott every chance of collecting good prize money.

Among those in the field are Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn, Ross McGowan, former Northamptonshire player Ryan Evans and the Italian Matteo Manassero.

Paul Waring, the Felixstowe Ferry amateur, has been playing on the Portugal Pro Golf Tour on The Algarve.

He held his own with the professionals.

He finished joint 20th and leading amateur in the Amendoeira O’Connor Classic with rounds of 69 and 74 to end one under par. On the more difficult Faldo course he was tied 27th with rounds of 72 and 77.

He was second amateur.

Monty Scowsill (Aldeburgh) has been playing on the Elvolve Pro Tour in Murcia. The field mainly comprised of good amateurs. There were three events. He was 14th in the Hacienda Riguelme with rounds of 73 71 and 69.

He was tied fourth in the Lo Romero event with 58 73 and 69. Then he was joint fourth with Arron Edwards-Hill of Essex in the La Serena Open with 73 72 and 68.

Habebul Islam (Ipswich) stayed in Spain hoping that, as a reserve, he might play in the Spanish Amateur Championship at Las Colinas. He needed just two more players to drop out to get a start but was unlucky.

Practice on the testing Las Colinas course was valuable experience as he prepares for next week’s Italian Amateur Championship at Acaya.

He has also entered the French International Boys’ Championship for the Michel Carlhian Trophy at Golf des Aisses at La Ferte St Aubin.

There is a strong Essex presence in the Bahrain Open, a Mena Tour event, this week.

Among those in the field are Todd Clements (Braintree), Ben David (Colchester), Curtis Knipes (Abridge), Taylor Carter (Lords Rayleigh), James Allan, Alasdair Plumb, Elliott Oxlade and Andrew Pestell (all Chelmsford).

Thetford club champion Owen Mills made a great start to what could be a pivotal year for his career when he won the Southeast Golf Tour opening event of the year at Royal Cinque Ports.

His win meant his qualified for the tour final at Woburn. The next event is again on the Kent coast at Prince’s GC on March 22.

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Meanwhile Sam Forgan and Andy Goodwin of Stowmarket won the Suffolk Winter Alliance better ball played at Flempton in a strong wind.

They amassed 45 stableford points beating Richard Watt (Diss) and Paul Samain (Ufford Park) by three points.

Mark Milner (Brett Vale) and Adrian Cherry (Stoke by Nayland) took third place with 40 points.

Goodwin was an Alliance winner with Phil Fairbrother at Southwold last month.

Forgan, the only professional in the field, had a round of two under par 68.

The final Suffolk Winter Alliance meeting of the season will be at Haverhill on March 24. It will be a team event with any two from four to count.

Forgan has already won the professional order of merit but will miss the Haverhill meeting because of his wedding in Hawaii.

Graham Vandervord of Stoke by Nayland leads the amateur order of merit with 214 points. Dean Brace, from the same club, is hot on his heels with 212. Tony Carman (Stoke-by-Nayland) and Andy Goodwin are joint third with 209.

Other scores

38: G Vandervord and J Smith, G Davis and B Aldous.

37: M White and C Bradnam, J Partridge and M Baxter, I McKay and M Moore.

36: B Lever and M Verhelst, C Leys and R Deasy, G Scott and A Spittle, D Yates and T Carman, G Borthwick and D Simpkin.

35: N Spong and A Hammond, J Anthistle and N Salmon, S Piotrowski and J Wiseman.

34: T Lyons and M Mansfield, J Williams and R Davies, D Brace and J Mumford.

32: C Whyatt and A Garrett, M Tibbenham and M Toon, L Norman and G Morgan.

31: T Mitchell and B Filer.

30: T Warren and I Smith.

28: B Castle and D Drew

27: P Markey and C Gwinnett-Sharp

26: A Austin and A Brown.

No return: R Brazier and J Paterson.

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Again, Forgan was in good form in the first of the March Felixstowe Ferry Fourball events with a round of 70 to win the professional first prize.

Paul Maddy, the PGA European Tour and Challenge Tour players from Gog Magog was runner-up with 73.

Third place went to home professional Andrew Robinson with 75. Lloyd Kennedy (Chelmsford) was round in 76 but won the professional prize for nearest the pin on the 12th hole.

Other pro scores: 79: Lewis Atkinson (Stock Brook). 80: Paul Wilby (Haverhill) 82: Simon Dainty (Stoke by Nayland).

Five teams ended with 43 points in the better ball. Winners on count back were Haverhill’s four-handicap Andy Fish and John Mair who plays off 15.

Runners-up were Colchester’s Bill Eke and Kevin Prince. Others were Chris and Zak Cooke, Alan Connell and Sean Dolton and Michael McLachlan and Jack Woods.

Other scores included

42: Sam Forgan and Tom Stephenson; Alan Sharrocks and Keith Newnham.

41: Ian Carter and Stuart Reddick, Daniel and Jason Nicholls.

40: Sam Kinnane (amateur nearest pin) and Simon Dainty.

39: Roger Toone and Paul Wilby, Paul Maddy and Alan Maddy

38 Philip Smith and Lloyd Kennedy, Adam Sheldrake and Andrew Robinson.

37: Roger Cordy and Rod Powney, John and David Blackmore.

35: Gerald Collins and Bill Rutherford.

The final winter four ball of the season at Felixstowe will be on March 26.