GOLF: Jones and Myers are too good as they ease to Scratch Foursomes title

Ben Jones (left) and Matt Myers were easy winners of the Scratch Foursomes title

Matt Myers and Ben Jones justified their status as pre-event favourites as the Northants County members won the NGL Scratch Foursomes on their home course with a 36-hole total of 141.

County Men’s champion Myers and County Boys champion Jones finished nine strokes ahead of Luke Barney (Overstone) and Fergus Robinson (Northants County).

European Team Championships

Meghan MacLaren added another honour to her collection as she helped England clinch the gold medal in the European ladies Team Championships as they beat Spain 4-3 at Oddur GC in Iceland.

After securing the decisive point for GB & Ireland in the Curtis Cup last month, MacLaren played a crucial role again as she won a singles point on the 18th to bag the title for the first time since 1993.

Team coach Steve Robinson said: “The Curtis Cup girls have been immense with their performances.

“Spain played some great golf this afternoon but Meghan just ground it out.

“The whole team dug in and fought for every single point. There has been a huge fighting spirit and never once did I see heads go down. We just all thought we could win.”

Shires Junior Golf Tour

Three gross birdies in the last six holes helped Team Neville lift the Thomas-Gasking Trophy on Shires Junior Golf Tour at Pavenham Park GC.

Led by Northants County’s Corey Neville, who was also part of the winning side last year, the team of Luca Brown (Kettering) and Samuel Thomas (Beedles Lake) took the honours with a net score of 55.2

Team Brown, led by Luca’s older brother Theo, were runners-up in the fun Texas Scramble on net 57.6. Team Ellis, skippered by Aspley Guise and Woburn Sands member JR Ellis, were third on 58.

The next Shires Junior Golf Tour event takes place at Kettering on Monday July 25.

Midland Seniors Ladies

Wellingborough’s Carol Gibbs had the best scores in both the handicap and scratch comps in the Senior Midlands Ladies tournament at Sherwood Forest GC, Nottinghamshire.

The former Curtis Cup player, who carded 62 points in windy conditions to finish two ahead of club-mate Mary MacLaren, said: “I’m definitely still keen to win, even if it doesn’t matter quite as much!”

Ladies County Championships

Kettering mother and daughter Kirsty and Ashleigh Critchley claimed a double success in the NGL Ladies County Championships as they won the Bronze and Intermediate titles respectively at Kingsthorpe.

Kirsty was the first member of the family to collect a top prize as she claimed the Bronze plaudits by three shots from Leah Ribano, who led the scoring in the net category.

Eleven-year-old Ashleigh made it the perfect day for the Critchleys as she carded rounds of 89 and 84 to grab the Intermediate crown by 13 strokes from Patricia Silburn (Oundle).

Three wins out of three for in-form Northants

Seniors Anglian League

NORTHANTS made it three wins out of three in the Seniors Anglian League with an 8½-6½ victory against Norfolk at Kettering GC.

Alan Wrigley (7&6) and Alan Freeman (6&4) were both in excellent touch in the afternoon singles as the county maintained their unbeaten run, which stretches back for nearly three years.

The team were less successful a few days earlier in the East Midlands League as they came unstuck in their away clash with Warwickshire going down 9½-8½ in a thrilling contest at Nuneaton GC.

Ladies Cecil Leitch

Northants County seized the initiative from Oundle at the top of group one with a brilliant 4-3 victory at Northampton.

Although the hosts took the opening two ties and also won game five, Diana Murkin (3&2), Alison Shine, Laura Steedman and Vivienne McManus (all 5&4) turned the match on its head.

County will progress through to the last four, unless Oundle record a 7-0 victory at Rushden in their last game towards the end of this month.

Group Two

Peterborough Milton are through to the semi-finals after rivals Brampton Heath failed to record a big enough victory in their penultimate match against Daventry.

Needing a huge win to have any chance of overtaking Milton on points difference, Brampton were successful on their home turf, but couldn’t find perfection as the visitors claimed three points.

LPGA

Kettering’s Charley Hull remains in the top 20 in the LPGA Order of Merit despite missing the cut in the US Women’s Open at CordeValle GC in California.

The 20-year-old, who will be competing in the Olympics in Rio next month, lies 17th in the standings after missing out on some weekend golf with scores of 74 and 75.

Glazerite Trophy

Matt Cort (Beedles Lake) enjoyed the challenge of competing over 36 holes on Wellingborough golf course as he lifted the MPGA Glazerite Trophy with the leading mark of 139.

After carding two birdies and eagle on the 12th hole in

an opening 69, Cort pulled ahead of the chasing pack with three birdies towards the start of the front nine in the afternoon.

Four strokes adrift in joint second position were Andrew Cheese (Sutton Coldfield) and Lee Clarke (Beeston Fields). Home club pro Kyson Lloyd was one of three players a further shot off the pace.