The trio of Suffolk players in stage one of the PGA European Tour qualifying school at Stoke by Nayland have all progressed to the second stage in Spain between November 3 and 6.
The trio of Suffolk players in stage one of the PGA European Tour qualifying school at Stoke by Nayland have all progressed to the second stage in Spain between November 3 and 6.
Jamie Abbott (Ipswich), who has been in good form all year in the Jamega Tour, started with two rounds of 67 which meant he could afford 74 and 72 on the final two days.
Both Hugo Dobson (Woodbridge) and Sam Forgan (Stowmarket) were just outside the top 20 and ties with one round to play.
Both held their nerve finishing with 67 which means they now await news of whether they will be drawn to play at Desert Springs, El Saler, Panoramica or Las Colinas in stage two.
Dobson had his elder brother Paul as caddy for the first time.
Dale Whitnell of Forrester Park, a former Walker Cup player, just missed out. His final round of 66 was short by a single shot.
There was no joy for Miles Collins of his home course or for amateurs Jack Yule (King’s Lynn), the Norfolk Open champion, and Jay Beisser (Rayleigh).
There are stage one events at Hardelot in Normandy and Ribagolfe in Portugal this week.
This stage concludes at Frilford Heath and Bogogno in Italy starting on October 3. Apart from Bawburgh’s Ben Rawsthorneat Frilford there are no East Anglian players in these events.
The regular PGA Europro Tour season ended at Moor Allerton leaving only the Tour Championship over the Oceanica Faldo course on the Algarve between October 24 and 26.
The top 60 in the order of merit are eligible to play. They include Dobson who finished in 11th place winning £12043.
Collins of Stoke by Nayland is also eligible for the trip to Portugal. He finished in 44th place winning £4533 from his 11 tournaments.
Missing out in 69th spot is Forgan who won £2865, Rawsthorne in 92nd spot and Chelmsford’s Jack Hiluta who played in only five events.
Ipswich won the Parks Trophy by two holes in a tremendous match against Woodbridge at Diss. It was their third success since the late Maurice Parks inaugurated the competition in 2002, the first year of his SGU presidency. Other wins have come in 2009 and 2014.
Bury St Edmunds won the Beaumont Trophy, an inter-club knock-out for seniors with handicaps between 10 and 20.
They beat Brett Vale by eight holes in the final at Stowmarket although each team won two matches.
Brett Vale won the trophy in 2010, its inaugural year. Bury were winners in 2013.
Parks Trophy final
At Diss.
Ipswich beat Woodbridge by two holes.
Ipswich names first: Adrian Callaby and David Bryett halved with Mark Jackson and Andrew Whittaker; Mike Pennock and Paul Clouting beat Alan Scovell and Phil Platten by two holes; Chris Ginn and Richard Barton lost to John Nixon and Peter Raspin by three holes; Steve Whymark and Steve Mann beat Derek Rush and Peter Rose by three holes.
Beaumont Trophy Final
At Stowmarket.
Bury St Edmunds beat Brett Vale by eight holes.
Bury St Edmunds names first: Barry Storey and Colin Gray beat Mick Hurley and Keith Ribbans by five holes; Graham Smith and Steve Beahan lost to Brig Archer and Malcolm Lamond by one hole; Garry Clark and Steve McClellan beat Ben Outar and Maurice Eccles by five holes; Jon Mecham and Steve Finch lost to Nigel Hanham and Peter Goldby by one hole.
Yorkshire became England women’s county champions at Felixstowe Ferry for the 13th time. They won a cliff-hanger against Gloucestershire on the final day. Suffolk were delighted to take third place with wins over Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Nottinghamshire. It was a week to remember for Suffolk captain Vanessa Bell and her players.
Turning points came in the foursomes. The victory by Lils James and Abbie Symonds against Buckinghamshire kept the match alive and prevented Suffolk from going three down at lunch. It provided a boost in confidence for the rest of the week.
On the third day Bell and county champion Alice Barlow teamed up in the foursomes.
They won all three matches in which they played together. Barlow won four of her five singles.
Felixstowe Ferry will have impressed England Golf. They organised the event superbly.
A trio of Diss players, James Biggs, Josh Driver and Chris Bartrum represented Suffolk in the English Champion Club event at East Devon Golf Club at Budleigh Salterton over the weekend. They were off the pace ending in 11th place. Biggs had rounds of 79 and 75, Driver 79 and 71 and Bartrum77 and 75.
They beat Gog Magog of Cambridgeshire (Ed Dimambro 74 73, Dave Quinney 77 81, Nick Smits 84 74) who finished 18th.
The Suffolk Winter Alliance season gets under way at Halesworth on Sunday, the first of 13 fixtures that end at Haverhill in March.
The Alliance was formed in 1958 and has proved popular ever since. Fixtures: October 11: Bury St Edmunds (shotgun start pro-am). 22: Newton Green. November 5: Stowmarket. 16: Southwold. 29: Hintlesham pro-am. December: 14: Ufford Park (shotgun start).
Fixtures for 2018: January 7: Bungay. 18: Flempton. February: Southwold. 25: Diss. March 7: Seckford. 18: Haverhill.
Ipswich juniors were runners-up to Abridge in the Home Nations Trophy at Warley Park. Bramley were third, Royal Eastbourne fourth and Enfield fifth.
Habebul Islam’s two under par round of 68 was the best of the day. He and Will Garland of Ipswich tied for the best net score of 69.
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