Alan White and Ian Benson of Stoke by Nayland won the better ball prize at the Suffolk Winter Alliance meeting at Southwold on Sunday.

East Anglian Daily Times: Alan White and Ian Benson of Stoke by Nayland who won the better ball competition in the Suffolk Winter Alliance meeting at Southwold on Sunday. Photograph: CONTRIBUTEDAlan White and Ian Benson of Stoke by Nayland who won the better ball competition in the Suffolk Winter Alliance meeting at Southwold on Sunday. Photograph: CONTRIBUTED (Image: Archant)

They had 45 Stableford points with Benson establishing a clear lead in the season’s order of merit table.

Second place with 44 points was settled on a count back involving three pairs. Runners-up were Stowmarket professional Sam Forgan and Colin Leathers who beat Haverhill’s Simon Cousins and Malcolm Robinson into third place.

Both pairs had 21 points on the back nine and 14 on the back six. Forgan and Leathers had seven on the back three while Cousins and Robinson had six.

Sean Whelan and Chris Ward of Waldringfield, part of the winning team on their home course at the Alliance meeting in January, were fourth with 19 on their back nine.

Forgan, the only professional in the field, had a round of four under par 66.

Other scores

42: R Holmes and R Hood, R Davies and P Jay, N Farendon and M Farendon.

41: L Wordsell and L Tuffin, Lyn Fish and M Williamson.

40: R Clemson and B Stammers, K Jameson and J Gilham.

39: G Borthwick and R Gardiner.

38: T Broomfield and M Firman, E Bareham and P McClennan, D Brown and D Goddard, R Bland and I Smith, M Mansfield and S Rex, R Ross and S Gray, P Fairbrother and M Eaton, K McCredie and D Smith.

37: P Nuttall and J Craddock, R Brazier and J Wilding, J Partridge and L Norman, J Williams and D Yates, A Fish and K Rooney.

36: B Lever and C Lever.

34: P Walters and W Darling, S Wiggins and A Barham.