Golf: Former winners set to go head-to-head

Apr 22 2009 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TWO former winners of the Examiner Matchplay Golf Tournament have been drawn against each other in the tie of the round when the opening draw was made last night.

Huddersfield’s Richard Broadley, winner in 2005 and 2006 will face Cleckheaton’s Andrew Mear, winner of the title in 2007, and the subsequent FREE golfing holiday.

Mear, who plays off a handicap of eight and won the title, and the trip to Fuengirola two years ago, will have a nine-shot advantage over Halifax, Huddersfield Union champion Broadley, who now plays off plus one at Fixby.

Another top tie between two low handicappers is the clash between Meltham’s Chris Holmes and Marsden’s Dean Whitwam, both men playing off five handicap, while Rob Scollick, from Woodsome Hall – and the second lowest handicapper to Broadley, off three – plays Crompton & Royton’s Denis Walters, off 10.

Last year’s champion Paddy Carmody, also from Woodsome Hall, starts the defence of his title with a first-round tie against Wortley’s Ben Sharpe, while Julie Whiting, the solitary lady in the competition who plays out of the Headley Club, faces Michael Kirk from Woolley Park.

This year’s competition has attracted a bumper entry, with a week’s golfing holiday in Benidorm in November the major prize on offer to the winner.

The first round is a two-leg 36-hole affair, with the first-named play in each tie having home advantage first. Players will play all 18 holes at the first course, and the score will be carried over to the return leg.

Should the tie be all square at the end of 36 holes, sudden death will decide the outcome, down the first extra hole and so on.

As the first round is a two-leg venture, players will have up to and including Sunday, May 31st to complete the round.

There will then be an intermediary round, with four of the winners being drawn out to play other, and reduce the numbers down to a straight 16 players who will go in the second round proper.

The final of this year’s tournament will be staged at Meltham Golf Club, on Thursday, September 24.

It is the responsibility of the first-named player in the tie to contact his opponent to arrange a mutually convenient date and time to play.

The first round (both legs) must be completed with results submitted to David Lockwood at the Examiner Office (01484 437757) no later than first post on Monday, June 1.