GOLF: Minehead and West Somerset host Buchanan Cup (From Somerset County Gazette)

GOLF: Minehead and West Somerset host Buchanan Cup

1:00pm Saturday 1st January 2011 in Sport

THE 37th Buchanan Cup Final and Buchanan Cup Plate took place last weekend at Minehead and West Somerset Golf Club.

A bright but cold day saw over 100 players take part in this prestigious annual winter open event that has been running every fortnight since the start of October. The course was in excellent condition with the greens running true and as usual playing off the grass competition tees.

The Buchanan Cup winners for the first time were Club Chairman Denis Compton and Treasurer Mark Swallow, who beat Past Captain David Norman and Ian Loader on the 17th hole.

In the third place play off club professional and partner Peter Whaley lost to 1983 Ryder Cup star Brian Waites and his partner Gordon Whalley, father of Peter.

The Buchanan Plate was won by John Mullins and Richard Martin, from Taunton and Pickeridge, who beat local club members Robin Hill and Wayne Clarke.

The Buchanan Cup Consolation, played as a four-ball better-ball Stableford, saw Josh Martin and Mark Martin of Vivary Park pick up the vouchers for first place with a score of 46 points.

Second place went to Barry Hurford and Pete Cridge, also of Vivary, with 44 points and third place went to locals Lee Hardick and Richy Rich with 43 points.

Fourth place was secured by Enmore Park’s Kevin Hooper and Alan Atkinson with 42 points on countback.