Oh, brother!

Lee Rowbotham (Werneth) receives the District Championship trophy from host club captain Oldham’s Jim Keating.

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LEE Rowbotham claimed his third District Championship — after beating his brother, Adam, in a six-hole play-off.

The annual contest, this year staged at Oldham, went into extra time after the siblings each carded two-round totals of 137.

But it was Rowbotham the elder who clinched the crown after parring all six of the play-off holes.

Werneth member Lee said: “You can imagine it wasn’t easy playing my younger brother, but I just had to put it to the back of my mind.

“I suppose having that little bit more experience in these situations got me through.

“Our mum Gail was watching, so too grandad Tommy who taught us from a young age, but they stayed in the background. Dad Paul was playing golf elsewhere.”

Lee collected his first District honour in 2003 on his home course and retained the coveted piece of silverware with victory at Oldham, in another play-off against Andy Clarke.

The 29-year-old, who was in the second group out, did not have any expectations going into the event.

He added: “I was playing okay, but I didn’t expect to win.

“I dropped five shots in the morning for a 71, but I knew if I shot level par (66) in the afternoon I wouldn’t be far away.

“I chipped in a couple of times in the second round, and it was a good job that I did as I wasn’t holing any putts.

“Adam ’phoned me to say I was in a play-off. I asked him who against and replied ‘me, so get your backside up here!’”

Adam (23), who fired rounds of 69 and 68, parred the first two play-off holes, but then bogeyed the third, double-bogeyed the fourth and bogeyed the fifth.