Super Surry Comes up Trumps

The Jamega Tour weather followed us to Cumberwell Park for what was to be yet another rain affected tournament. It was only due to the efforts of the head green keeper, Matt and his crew, that the course was kept in a playable condition and we suffered no delays.

Although wet, it was not windy until later on in the day so, although difficult conditions prevailed, a score was to be had on the Red and Yellow courses we were playing.

In the second group out was the local hero Steve Surry, who is just coming into a bit of form and was undoubtedly the hot favourite to win his third Jamega Tour event at Cumberwell Park. True to form Surry set the bar at an impressive 4 under par compiling an almost error free 67 which included just one bogey on the difficult 15th hole.

Paul Maddy, however, quickly took Surry’s crown carding a fine 6 under par total that was made by completing the back nine in just 30 shots. Five players slotted in right behind Surry on 3 under par, Abhishek Ruia, Benjamin Martin, Rory Kirwan, Luke Joy and Greg Peters, who is at long last making good use of his talent.

A total of 21 players finished under par on the first day and our first female competitor, Tara Dayer-Smith, carded a very respectable 1 over par 72 in her first U.K. Jamega Tour event. Watch out boy’s!

On day 2 the ground conditions were even worse than the first day but Matt and his crew worked their magic again and we duly started play on time at 11 minutes past 7 in the morning.

Neil Riley was obviously inspired on the second day as he scorched round in 5 under par 66 to sit on the clubhouse lead at 4 under par total, until he became part of a log jam of players on the same score.

There was an unfortunate incident when Tony Piccolo, star of “Take me Out”, was struck by a wayward shot from the tenth tee whilst standing on the eleventh. For Tony it was a case of “Let the Hip see the Ball”. Ouch!

Mark Laskey spectacularly broke the deadlock carding a 7 under par 64 to assume the lead on 7 under. Laskey’s round included 8 birdies and just a solitary bogey but he was to live to regret losing his Mojo and finishing off his first round with 3 bogies in the last 4 holes.

The final group of the day included Paul Maddy and Steve Surry and they were having a battle royal with Maddy on a total of 7 under par after nine holes and Surry, hanging on to Maddy’s coattails, reaching the turn on 5 under par.

Maddy started the back nine with a birdie to increase his lead to 3 shots but then Surry hit him with 3 birdies in a row and with Maddy bogeying the 13th Surry found himself in the lead by two. Surry then relinquished the lead over the next 2 holes by bogeying the 14th and when Maddy birdied the very difficult 15th it was back to even with 3 to play.

A sizeable gallery, mainly made up of Cumberwell Park members, then witnessed a crucial birdie by Surry on the 17th to regain the lead and when both he and Maddy made pars at the last it was another Steve Surry victory and the winners cheque for £5,000. Paul Maddy joined Mark Laskey in joint second place on 7 under each of them winning £2,000 for their efforts.

Cumberwell Park is a fantastic venue with 36 holes of golf, made up of 4 very different nines that vary from links style, through Parkland to U.S. style water dominated holes.

The practice facilities are really second to none, with a grass range and the best short game area we have ever seen, Cumberwell Park  is a must stop for a days golf for golfers of all standards. The hospitality you will receive in the clubhouse is also excellent and dare I say it the Pasties are delicious!

We move on to Mentmore, near Leighton Buzzard, next week for a Pro-am on Sunday, followed by the normal 2 day event on Monday and Tuesday which is looking very full at the moment with over 130 players registered to play.