THE Oak Manor Golf Club championship was played over 36 holes and produced some incredible golf and a nail-biting finish.

The best golfers in the club started out on the Saturday with high hopes of winning the club championship. After the first 18 holes junior Freddie Eglin, with -2 handicap, was four shots clear of Jamie Short, -3 handicap.

On the second 18 holes Jamie pulled back these four shots to be tied with Freddie, so the championship had to be decided by a three hole playoff.

On hole one Freddie was one shot up and took the lead, the second hole was tied and on the third hole Freddie had a superb shot into the green and sank the putt for a birdie to win the title in front of around 100 golfers following the play off. Congratulations to Freddie and commiserations to Jamie who put up a great challenge.

The results, Gross Club Champion Freddie Eglin with a score of 137, 3 under par gross, Jamie Short second, also 3 under par gross but losing the play off, while Jason Brock came third with a gross score of 143. Freddie also won the Junior Championship Gross and Nett.

Paul Rich was the Nett Club Champion with a nett score of 1 under par, Mark Popham came second with 1 over par while John Symonds was third also 1 over par.

In the Ladies Championship Amanda Mathers had an excellent first round of gross 80 to be four shots ahead of Jane Clist and Helen White, both scoring 84. On round 2 Jane showed her real colours to demolish Amanda’s lead to win the Ladies Championship and came in with a gross score over two rounds of 164, 10 shots clear of second placed Karen Grbham on 174 while Amanda Mather finished in 3rd with 175.

This was the 13th time Jane has won the Ladies Championship at Oake Manor. Congratulations to Jane who also won the Ladies nett Championship and the Over 55 years Championship.

Michael Bright was the winner of the over 55 years Championship with a gross score of 157. Kevin Gratton won the Barbara Sadler Plate for the best nett score on the second round of the Championship with nett 67.

The annual Bank Holiday Monday Mixed Greensomes Competition for the Cob and Pen Trophy was played in glorious conditions but the course was set up with some tricky pin positions left over from the Club Championship the previous day. Ladies Captain Daphne Priddy and John Matravers won the trophy, scoring 45 points. In second place were daughter and father Kayleigh and Paul Avey while in third place were Julie and Steve Cross. Paul Avey was nearest the pin on the sixth hole for the men, Daphne Priddy was nearest the pin on the fourteenth hole for the ladies while Daphne Priddy and John Matravers were nearest the pin in 2 shots on the eighteenth hole.

All the competitors enjoyed an Oake Manor carvery and prize giving after play.

On Monday the men played a Bank Holiday Stableford Competition which was won by Dennis Lumley with 40 points, Sam Prior came second with 38 points while Michael Tourle was third also with 38 points.

PETER SWANN