Roger has the edge in Sword

Tony Doidge, Royton and Crompton captain, presents Roger Smithies (right) with the Royton Sword.

LOCAL golfer Roger Smithies cut through the opposition to capture the Royton Sword for a second time.

Royton-based Smithies, who once lived little more than a drive away from the High Barn course, followed up his success of 1997 with another triumph in the Mitsushiba Northern Order of Merit event.

The 43-year-old scratch player, a member at Manchester Hopwood, might have added to his tally earlier as he had top-five finishes in each of the last three years.

It was a day to savour for Smithies, a former pupil at Bluecoat School, as he shot rounds of 74 and 71 for a two-round 145.

“It was blustery and the fact nobody broke par in either round shows how tough it was,” explained Smithies.

The 145 earned Smithies a one-stroke margin of victory as he climbed to ninth place in the Order of Merit, a competition he won in 2002.

The latest triumph was one to savour as, in recent years, Smithies has scaled back his golf due to having a young family.

“I have two children aged three and five and my time is limited so I don’t practice like I used to. Maybe I play a few holes in the evening, but that is about all,” he remarked.

The Royton Sword was, in fact, only the third Order of Merit event Smithies has played this season.

He described the highlights as achieving birdies on the par-four 12th - the first time he has done that in over 20 years competing in the Royton Sword - and on the 18th in each of the two rounds.

Smithies added that physio Chris McManus was also a key figure in his success.

He said: “I have had a lot of back problems and played with pain for many years. Chris has helped me get a lot healthier and I am pain free for the first time in a long time.”

Second place in the Royton Sword went to another local player, Stamford’s Andrew Bent with 75 and 71 for 146.

And home players fared well by claiming seventh, eighth and 11th positions. Jordan Flint (77, 78) and Gary Melling (77, 78) both returned 155 while schoolboy James Frizzell (79, 78) was one of three players to register 157.

The Anniversary Salver, for the best nett score over 36 holes, went to Grange-over-Sand’s Mark Garrett with rounds of 74-4-70 and 76-4-72 for 142.