Juniors rise to the challenge

THE young guns of Saddleworth are through to the semi-finals of the Junior BMW Challenge in the Manchester and District Alliance.

On the face of it, the seven-strong team’s 5-2 defeat of Denton was a comfortable scoreline — but two of the matches were won on extra holes, while another victory was secured on the last.

Saddleworth’s winners on the day were Ben Simpson (one up), Stephen Pullen (five and three), Mark Anderson-Wild (21st), Jack Shaw (19th) and Matt Woolley (three and two).

Rick Scholes (three and two) and Luke Prenty (one down) went down to narrow defeats.

Saddleworth are waiting to discover their opponents in the last four.

But the club bowed out of the Archie Preston mixed foursomes at the quarter-final stage.

They were beaten 6-1 at home to Blackburn, with their only win coming from Tad Knebel and Jenny Knight.

Captain Bernard Woodhead and lady captain Hazel Rodgerson, lady vice-captain Anita Scholes and Brian Rooney, vice-captain David Pullen and Kay Orme, Mark Hatton and Dawn White, Nigel Cooper and Janice Nicholson, and Jeff Allen and Lillian Howarth lost on the day.

Martin Orme takes a one-shot lead into this weekend’s second round of the men’s President’s Prize.

He shot 68-2-66 in the first round to lead from Neil Bamford (77-10-67), John Earley (78-11-67), David Pullen (74-6-68) and Steve Gaynon (86-18-68).

In a team competition, the winners were Mick Harrington, Nick Corrigan, Ben Simpson and Rick Scholes with 96 points.




BROOKDALE: APART from Tuesday’s seniors open which was washed out, festival week at Brookdale proved a huge success.



Home pair Dave Salt and Frank Oakland teamed up to win the men’s open — but only after a photo finish.

They were tied on 42 points with Dave Welsh and Peter Lloyd, but edged it on a card play-off over the back nine holes.

A team from Gatley Golf Club won the classic pro-am (Medal) with a score of 126, from Booth and Associates II (127) and Stamford Golf Club (128) in third.

The leading professional on the day was Selby’s Nick Ludwell, who shot a 66.

Gary Donison (unattached) was the runner-up after a 68, with Gatley’s Jon Cheetham (69) in third place.

The four-man team open went to Ian Thomas, Keith Miller, Dave Harrison and Chris Sutcliffe.