FORMER Marsden captain Dennis Walters became the 17th winner of the annual Examiner Overseas Golf Challenge after a birdie on the final hole in the final round of this year’s tournament, held at the Villaitana Golf Club in Benidorm.

In keeping with the last few years, this year’s climax was once again a pretty tense affair which went right down to the wire, and could easily have gone a number of ways.

Despite holding a three-point advantage going into the final round, Walters – now a member with Crompton and Royton Golf Club in Oldham – found a few problems early on the last day, and was quickly swallowed up by the field, led by Darren Whiting from Headley, along with Bingley St Ives’ Julie Padgett and Meltham duo Chris Holmes and David Law.

A nine-handicapper from the Bradford club, Whiting went to the 18th in the final round, one point ahead of Walters, having hauled back a five-point deficit at the start of the day.

And with two prizes already under his belt (a member of the Team Stableford winners, and a Betterball winner with Eddie Doherty) and on top of his game, the odds looked stacked in his favour.

However, the wily Walters (a one-time five-handicapper now playing off 11) had a stroke on handicap in his favour up the last, and after finding the green with a super approach shot and two putts, he duly picked up his nett birdie, thereby putting pressure on Whiting to make a par.

Having lagged up to around 18inches with his third, it looked almost a formality for Whiting, but surprisingly pushed his putt for par two feet past the hole downhill to finish with a five, and a case of what might have been!

And that ensured the title went to Walters with a combined total of 105, one more than Whiting and four more than Padgett and Holmes, with Law just out of the prizes in fifth place on 99.

“I always fancied it if I played well, going into the last day with a three-point lead,” said Walters, who was the Marsden captain back in 1992, and who served the Hemplow club as treasurer from 1994 to 2007.

“Unfortunately, I really struggled to find any rhythm over the first nine holes by which time my lead had gone, but luckily my form began to come back over the backward nine (he began by birdieing both 10 and 11 and parring the 12th).

“I missed a short putt on 17, and knew I simply had to get a birdie on the last to be still in with a shout, and luckily for me, Darren also missed a short one at the 18th for the title.

“This is about the seventh time I’ve been on the Examiner Tour which I really do enjoy because there are some very nice people on it, and the company is really good. And it’s even better this year, having won it for the first time.”

As well as being a member for many years at Marsden, Walters is quite well known around Huddersfield sporting circles having played as a cricket professional with Saddleworth League side Friarmere for several years.

The final result, however, was all in the melting pot earlier in the day, as nine-handicapper Law carded 19 points over the opening nine holes (the hottest of the round) to also put himself in contention.

And although he and Padgett (18 handicap), who were in the fourball immediately in front of the leading four and were starting six and seven points respectively down on the leader, were causing anxious glances behind them, as the Bingley lady (making her welcome debut on the Examiner Challenge) was almost tearing up the course with 32 points in 15 holes.

Law’s challenge hit the buffers at the 12th however with a run of four one-pointers, while Padgett admitted to tiring in the later stages, and could only manage one point at the 16th and 17th which ended her hopes of the outright win.

Holmes, meanwhile, needed to finish with three birdies over the last three holes to be in with a chance, and when he canned a brilliant 30-odd footer downhill on the 16th, it almost put him in the mix too, but then a missed short putt on the 17th for par ended his hopes.

The consolation for Padgett was that her third place finish also secured her the title of ‘Leading Lady’, some way ahead of Barbara Horrocks, from Crow Nest Park, while she was also in the winning side on the opening day’s Team Stableford.

It was a tremendous effort from the Bingley girl, who only took up the game a mere four years ago!

“It was my first-ever trip with the Examiner party, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the experience,” said Padgett. “I was really pleased with my performance, although I did start to get very tired over the last few holes, but I did manage to finish with a birdie and I was thrilled to finish third overall and the first lady.”

Her success will no doubt be particularly sweet for Julie after coming out from the shadows of a very sporting family who have enjoyed their share of the headlines over the years.

Her father was Denis Atkins, who played at full-back for Huddersfield Town for 13 years, playing more than 200 games, before winding up his football career with four seasons at his hometown club Bradford City, while her elder sister Jill was a member of the GB Hockey team who won bronze medals at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

Now the family have another champion to respect!

The Examiner Challenge is always held over three rounds, and Whiting took the early honours in the first round when he came in with 34 points, just one ahead of his wife Julie, who edged second spot, courtesy of a better back nine from Holmes with Law, Olivia Douglas, Walters and Steve Whiteley all back on a mark of 32.

Meanwhile, it was the second round where Walters made his major move, coming home with a fabulous 39 points – which began in galeforce conditions on the Levante course (earmarked for the Spanish Open in 2011) – which turned out to be the best return of the week. And that gave him a three-point cushion over Holmes and Woodhall Hills’ John Morse who returned an excellent second round 37.

Leading positions:

1 Dennis Walters (Crompton & Royton, 11) 105; 2 Darren Whiting (Headley, 9) 104; 3 Julie Padgett (Bingley St Ives, 18) 101; 4 Chris Holmes (Meltham, 6) 101; 5 David Law (Meltham, 9) 99; 6 John Morse (Woodhall Hills, 11) 98; 7 Norman Corcoran (Meltham, 14) 95; 8 Jack Thewlis (Meltham, 13) 94; 9 Tim Dyson (Longley Park, 14) 94; 10 Tommy Ward (Longley Park, 13) 90.