England Golf: Lancashire crowned senior county champs
Lancashire regained their English Senior Men’s County Champions title in a thrilling finale at Chipping Sodbury.
They beat defending champions Bucks, Berks & Oxon 6-3 in the title decider following a match which was much closer than the scoreline suggests.
Lancashire, who held the title in 2014, won the early morning foursomes 2-1 but BB&O made them fight all the way in the singles – with five of the six games going to the 18th.
“It was unbelievable,” said Lancashire manager Mike Gray. “They are just a great set of guys, a wonderful team. This was a fantastic game between two good teams.”
Both teams fielded an international player in the top singles with Ian Crowther representing Lancashire and David Niven leading the BB&O challenge.
Crowther edged one up on the 17th but, on the last, Niven won the hole with a par that included a penalty drop and a 25-footer.
Lancashire’s Trevor Foster halved the 18th in par to beat BB&O’s David Cromie and said: “It was unbelievable. It was as good a match as I have ever had. In the first 12 holes, David holed everything.
“I felt I was playing so well and he just kept coming back and back at me. It was a fantastic game of golf.”
Lancashire needed just another point to secure overall victory and had to wait when BB&O’s Tim Whittaker recovered from four down after eight to win on the last.
But Andrew Westwell won 16 and 17 and holed a testing downhill 3-footer to halve the 18th to win 1up. Alan Gillespie added another point when he beat BB&O captain Ashley Brewer and Tony Holt halved his game with George Best Wilson.
Brewer said: “We gave them a run for their money and it was a close battle, but the right team won. Lancashire are very, very strong and congratulations to them, they deserved to win on the day. But we will be doing our best to try and relieve them of the trophy next year!”
In the play-off for third place, Devon overcame Worcestershire 5-4. The South West team also led 2-1 after the foursomes and completed the win with successes from Tim Aggett, Tony Allsopp and Rick Pillow.
Picture courtesy of Leaderboard Photography
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
