Skipper Darby salutes Channel League victors

GLOUCESTERSHIRE overcame Wiltshire 10.5-6.5 at Bowood to get their Channel League season up and running after a defeat by Devon in the first match.

Captain Mike Darby said: "It was brilliant to beat last year's national county champions, although they were without two of their England players, who were in Australia, and two more playing in The Lytham Trophy.

"But it was an emphatic victory for a young Gloucestershire team away from home and a great confidence booster."

The morning foursomes looked like being 5-0 until Nick Day (Henbury) and Tom Workman (Stinchcombe) lost two of the last three holes to go down by one hole. But Day responded by taking out the formidable big-hitting Ali James (Cumberwell Park) 4 and 3 in the top singles to set the afternoon pattern.

Tyler Hogarty (Rodway Hill) halved, while Laurie Potter (Minchinhampton), by 5 and 4, Andy Rudge (Bristol and Clifton), by 8 and 7, Charlie McLean (Brickhampton), 7 and 6, Sam Morgan (Knowle), 6 and 5, and Andy Hale (Chipping Sodbury), 3 and 2, all gained decisive wins.

Filton's Paul Ryder made his first hole in one at the 198-yard 11th hole at Cirencester on his way to an 8 and 6 win in his singles during Gloucestershire second team's match against Wiltshire.

In the morning foursomes, Nigel Thompson (Brickhampton) and Paul Garland (Lansdown) were the only winners. Wiltshire won the singles 6-4 and the match 9-6.

Somerset junior captain Will Poole recovered from an indifferent start to win the county's junior championship with a brilliant second-round five-under-par 67 at Clevedon.

This followed his opening 76 and sealed a three-shot success over Josh White (Wells, 73, 73) and Jamie Li (Bath) 81, 69. Home player Ali Balcombe shot 72 to lead Knight and Kieran Windsor (Enmore Park) by one shot after the first round.

Clevedon pair Jamie Tompkins and Tom Rowlinson and Windsor all carded 145 in the net event.

Saltford trio Max Brittan, Louis Boston and Matt Lea have been selected for Somerset's Channel League match against Cornwall at Bude and North Cornwall Golf Club on Sunday.

Playing captain Phil White (Wells) has also chosen Farrington pair Tom Small and Craig Adams, George Morgan (The Mendip), James Popham (Enmore Park), Matt Turner (Taunton & Pickeridge), Ellis Cook (Burnham & Berrow).

Andrew Sherborne (Kendleshire) shared sixth place with David Finch (Cleeve Hill) in the Minchinhampton old course pro-am, winning £196. Stuart Little (Minchinhampton New), Ross Langdon (Henbury) and George Ryall (Players) were one shot behind.

Giuseppe Licata (Hambrook) and Ross Jones (Bath) were tied fifth on one-under-par 69 in the second Titleist Footjoy Young Professionals League at Weston-super-Mare.