Sam Byford (Ipswich) produced a second round of four under par 66 to win the scratch trophy at the annual Rushmere Vase Suffolk Golf Union order of merit tournament.

Byford was four shots behind joint first round leaders James Tyler (Ipswich) and Simon Bearman (Newton Green).

Starting at the 10th in the afternoon he was four under at the turn and played his final nine in level par.

Runner-up was Russell Oakey of Newton Green two shots behind with 72 and 70. Suffolk county captain Jack Cardy was third with 75 and 68.

The Rushmere Vase, decided on handicap, went to five-handicap Nigel Fosker of Felixstowe Ferry who was two shots behind Harry Hogdson and Bearman in the morning.

Fosker, in the final group, started his second round on the 10th and was only two over at the turn thanks to birdies at the 15th and 18th. Then he hit a spell of impressive consistency to play his next nine in level par. He finished two shots ahead of Tom Huggins (Aldeburgh) and Hodgson who will remember the day because of an eagle two at the second on his first round when he sunk his 80-yard approach with a sand iron.

Midway through the afternoon Bearman looked set for a clean sweep of all the prizes.

He started on the 10th and was two under at the turn thanks to an eagle at the par-four 18th when he holed his eight-iron approach shot from 147 yards.

Then the wheels came off with eight shots dropped in his next five holes including a four-putt. The greens could not be blamed. They were excellent.

After that, Bearman steadied down but the damage had been done.

There were other tales of woe. Josh Robertson of Ufford Park took a nine down the first in the morning so did well to finish with a round of 75.

Dominic Rosser of Woodbridge had an 11 on the first in the afternoon after taking seven off the tee while James Hellyer (Hintlesham) had bunker problems at the par-three eighth which left him with a nine.

Gross scores

140: S Byford (Ipswich) 74 66. 142: R Oakey (Newton Green) 72 70.143: J Cardy (Hintlesham) 75 68. 144: J Tyler (Ipswich) 71 73. 145: L Thompson (Rookery Park) 74 71. 146: S Bearman (Newton Green) 71 75. 147: N Fosker (Felixstowe Ferry) 75 72. 149: J Seeley (Newton Green) 75 73. 149: J Robertson (Ufford Park) 75 74, H Hodgson (Woodbridge) 73 76. 150: B Sayers (Felixstowe Ferry) 77 73, 153: T Ayles (Woodbridge) 78 75, T Huggins (Aldeburgh) 78 75, A Sheldrake (Felixstowe Ferry) 77 76.

154: B Coleman (Bury St Edmunds) 78 76, G Hills (Felixstowe Ferry) 75 79. 155: B Leuty (Gorleston) 76 79. 156: I Pope (Rushmere) 77 79. 157: C Duffy (Gorleston) 76 81. 158: J Whitby (Ipswich) 77 81. 159: B Stammers (Hintlesham) 81 78. 161: C Weller (Diss) 83 78, M Hemson (Newton Green) 81 80, T Hedin (Aldeburgh) 78 83. 162: J Cuthbert (Thorpeness) 83 79. 163: R Clemson (Hintlesham) 86 77, M Edgerley (Seckford) 86 77, J Hellyer (Hintlesham) 81 82. 166: S Mayhew (Woodbridge) 90 76, S Coonan (Woodbridge) 85 81, D Rosser (Woodbridge) 77 89. 168: R Brame (Rushmere) 86 82, 171: J Holland (Woodbridge) 87 84.178: C Sadler (Flempton) 89 89. 187: C Seward (Seckford) 92 95.

Meanwhile, a powerful Kent Senior team beat Suffolk by eight matches to two at Pedham Place near Swanley.

Alan Middle (Rushmere) was Suffolk’s only winner on his debut. He ended one up against Peter Newman.

Steve Whymark (Woodbridge), captaining the team in the absence of Kevin Brooks, halved his match against Richard Partridge as did Steve Duffety (Bury St Edmunds) against John Coupe.

Steve Crosby (Gorleston), Suffolk’s former Logan Trophy winner, was also making his debut. He was in the top match losing 4 and 3 to Chris Reynolds, the England international and Kent senior champion.

Other scores: (Kent names first): Mel Gooden beat Roger Taylor (Aldeburgh) 2 and 1, Bob Florence beat Trevor Hellyer (Stowmarket) 3 and 2, Phil Judge beat Graham Shillings (Rookery Park) 3 and 2, Alan Austin beat Mark Jackson (Woodbridge) 7 and 5, Mark Warren beat Nigel Fosker (Felixstowe Ferry) 7 and 6, Richard Punyer beat Andy Whittaker (Woodbridge) 3 and 2.