Smithies So Sharp

Roger Smithies with the Royton Sword and club officials

ROGER SMITHIES retained the Royton Sword with an emphatic seven-shot margin of victory in the Mitsushiba Northern Order of Merit event.

The 44-year-old from Royton, the only player to return a below-par total, was delighted with his triumph at Crompton and Royton.

“Though I am a member at Manchester Hopwood, this is the event which is closest to home. It is great to win it,” he said.

Smithies revealed he had an unusual build-up to the event, which he has now won three times.

“I hadn’t touched a club in the week leading up to the Royton Sword as I had been away camping with my family in Norfolk.”

The break certainly did Smithies the world of good as he shot 69 and 67 for a four-under-par 136 in the scratch event.

Smithies had four birdies and one bogey in his second-round 67, the only dropped shot coming at the 17th.

His nearest challenger was Crompton and Royton’s Chris Rabbich, who shot 70 and 73 for 143.

Smithies, who works for Hampshire-based Stannah Stairlifts, has enjoyed a purple patch as he recently won the club championship at Hopwood after shooting 74 and 70 for a level-par 144.

And his successes are even more creditable bearing in mind he has scaled down his golf considerably in recent years due to having two young children – Molly (6) and Ben (4) – who demand more of his time.

Smithies, who won the Northern Order of Merit in 2002, has competed in only four tournaments this year, preferring to concentrate on club golf.