Jones drives to joint first in PGA Assistants qualifier

Jones and Lee Mason, of Mickleover, Derbyshire, both shot 71s in difficult conditions on the Northamptonshire course to head the list of qualifiers.

Jones started strongly and was two under par after the front nine, but two bogeys and just one birdie on the back nine meant that he finished with a final score of one under.

Despite his disappointing run-in, Jones was still pleased with his overall performance.

"I'm delighted that I played so well," he said. "I drove well and I haven't been doing that recently.

"Conditions were tough and the greens were very fast.

"I only played because I failed to qualify for the Euro Pro event at Collingtree Park - but I'm happy I did play now."

The professional assistants qualifiers will battle it out for the prestigious championship at London GC on August 13-17.

Welshman David Park failed to make the cut in the Celtic Manor Wales Open after being four over from the first two rounds.

Park, who shot 69 and 73, finished in joint 118th position.

South African Richard Sterne won with 263 from rounds of 67, 67, 64 and 65.

Over 130 members at Ross-on-Wye competed for the Traders Cup which was won by 10-handicapper Nick Ellis with a nett 67, just one shot better than runner-up Colin Bennion, playing off 15.

Five players finished on 69 - Steve Wallbank, Doug Duncanson, David Gardiner, Brian MacNamara and Russell Catley.

The winner of the Mike Lane Trophy for the best gross score combined from the cup and the Spring Scratch was James Morgan.

Ross seniors team's run of wins ended with a 4-2 defeat at Monmouth.

Helen Palmer and Margaret Davies won both sections of the combined club and Ping four-ball better-ball competition.

The Ping results were based on threequarter handicaps and they scored 40 points. Diane Harrap and Pam Duke were second on 37, while Erica Atkins and Dinah Johnston were third on countback.

Joyce Mackley and Jenny Eckersley were second in the club competition with 38 points.

The ladies' B team won 4-2 at Enville and the C team won their match 3-1 against Herefordshire GC.

The ladies played their Senior Open as a team of three stableford.

Results: 1 Joanna Stokes, Barbara Eaton and Judith Jones 67 pts, 2 Lin Bennett, Glo Slater and Kath Waltas 66, 3 Mary Norman, Sue Sturman and Penny Rawlins 65; nearest the pin: Jo Hawes; longest drive: Janet Duffield.

Hereford Municipal successfully negotiated the the zonal quarter-finals of the NAPGC Hawtree Trophy by winning 3-2 away to Cocks Moor Woods in Birmingham.

Pam Williams and Harry Magee won 7 and 6 to notch the first point for Hereford, but defeats to Sharon Helps and Colin Morgan and then Jean Crum and Mark Keddie looked ominous until Jenny Wildman and Rob Pugh won a close game 2 and 1.

Averil Magee and Shaun Vivian were 2 up playing the long par-three 16th. Vivian struck a solid five wood to run just through the green and Magee chipped to within two feet for her partner to secure the par win and the overall team victory.

Hereford will host Pipe Hayes and Hillside in the zonal semi-finals.

Municipal ladies' team gained a 2-1 home win over Leominster in a friendly match.

A countback was needed to decide the low-handicappers' section of the Belmont May medal.

Results, (0-12): 1 Michael Owens 79-11-68, 2 Derrick Hancock 77-9-68, 3 James Pritchard 79-10-69; (13-28): 1 Harvey Hancock 86-19-67, 2 Jim Morgan 87-15-72, 3 Rob Leach 87-13-74.

Captain's Bell: 1 Jeremy Rolph 36 pts, 2 Kevin Powell 27.

There was also a close finish to the Seniors' May medal.

Results, (0-14): 1 Terry Thomas 83-12-71, 2 Peter Smith 84-12-72; (15-28): 1 Maurice Embrey 87-20-67, 2 Wref Digings 85-15-70.

John Alexander won the Captain's Cup, played over two legs, with 80 points. First leg: Gordon Bumfrey 38 pts; second leg: Brian White 38.

Baber Cup mixed foursomes qualifier: 1 Phil and Joan Skyrme 38 pts, 2 Neal and Kerry Wilding 37.

The three section winners shared the same nett score of 68 in Kington's June medal, but the overall winner was Gareth Jones with 63.

Results, overall: Gareth Jones 80-17-63; division one: 1 Josh Davies 72-4-68; 2 Rob Metcalfe 3rd 79-11-68; division three: Haydn Williams 88-20-68.

Kington Juniors competed for the Gealy and Stanners trophies.

Results, Gealy Trophy: 1 Rob Metcalfe 82-11-71, 2 Ross Moore 80-7-73; Stanners Trophy (12 holes): 1 Alex Metcalfe 24 pts, 2 Lewis Compton 20.

The seniors' unbeaten run ended at Cleobury Mortimer with a 6-1 defeat - the same score by which they had beaten the Shropshire club in the home match.

Rob Arrowsmith was the division one winner when Leominster staged their June medal.

Results, (0-12): 1 Rob Arrowsmith 79-9-70, 2 Gerald Cooke 83-11-72, 3 Tim Suff 86-10-76; (13-18): 1 Paul Rouse 79-16-63, 2 Shane Jones 82-13-69, 3 Mike Boutcher 87-17-70; (19-28): 1 David Sturge 88-25-63, 2 Stephen Homes 87-20-67, 3 Jason Gillum 90-23-67.

The four Chronicle Cup qualifiers from the club were Brian Hunt, Tom Chadwick, Robert Stokes and Paul Hitching.

Leominster's Scratch League team lost to Patshull Park, but the Handicap League team won 4-2 away to South Herefordshire.

Jean Crum and Janet Whittall won Leominster Ladies' Ford Lady greensomes competition.

Results: 1 Jean Crum and Janet Whittall 103-26.6-76.6, 2 Bet Hinchliffe and Pat Owen 97-18.8-78.2, 3 Diane Gibson and Joan Hunt 100-20.8-79.2.

Denbigh Ward Trophy stableford: 1 Jane Bayliss and Carol Rudd 39 pts, 2 Bett Croxton and Bet Hinchliffe 36, 3 Carol Gardner and Sylvia Lloyd 35.

Bryan Matthews became the first winner of the Herefordshire GC seniors' Captain's Trophy when seniors captain Dave Hamer organised an away day at Sapey.

Matthews had an outstanding round of 37 points, well clear of runner-up David Knowles, 33, and Dave Hamer and Colin King, both on 32. Longest drive; Jeff Burkin; nearest the pin: David Knowles.

On the same day a small contingent from Hereford enjoyed a success outing at Tewkesbury G & CC Seniors Open.

Terry Garratt was the overall winner 39 points, while Terry Harding won the A division with 28 and Nigel Yarwood, the Over-70s division with 37.

The 16-year-old club pairing of James Cooke and Matt Davies went through to the fourth round of the Daily Mail foursomes after winning 3 and 1 at Builth Wells.

The men's Handicap League team lost 3-1 at home to Burghill Valley, while a club team also suffered a 5-1 defeat in a friendly at Ludlow.

The club hosted a Mixed Open Foursomes.

Results, gross: 1 Declan McDonnell and Ross Moor (Bridgnorth) 36 pts, 2 Cliff and Sue Mawby (Hereford) 32, 3 Jeremy and Melanie Wilson (Bridgnorth) 28, 4 Rob Oakley and Karen Thaw (Shrewsbury) 28, 5 Richard and Jeanette Williams (Rose Hill) 27.

Nett (all Hereford): 1 Doug and Marie Parry 39 pts, 2 Bert and Wendy Priday 39, 3 Barry and Jane Spink 38, 4 John and Jo Hawes 38, 5 Dave Thomas and Gill Boase 37.

Armitage Times Trophy: 1 Tom and Marion McGoran 72.5, 2 Anne Wheatstone and Bryan Matthews 73, 3 Barry and Jane Spink 73.

Margaret Keyte won the ladies' May medal at Brockington Hall with a nett 73.

Results: 1 Margaret Keyte 101-28-73, 2 Janet Parker 105-27-78, 3 Lesley Furlong 109-30-79.

May stableford: 1 Maureen Brodie 26 pts, 2 Margaret Keyte 25, 3 Barbara Andrews 24.

The ladies' team were unable to maintain their good start to the season and suffered defeats to Burghill Valley away and Bransford at home.

Countbacks decided the first three places in the top section of Burghill Valley ladies' June stableford.

Results, silver division: 1 Marilyn Howard 34 pts, 2 Elizabeth Williams 34, 3 Tilly Hare 34; bronze A: 1 June Walker 34, 2 Viv Randall 33, 3 Doreen Ponroy 32; bronze B: 1 Barbara O'Sullivan 32, 2 Sally Thomas 30, 3 Jean Brookes 30.

Cradoc seniors' A team continued their defence of the South Wales Seniors Classic Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Milford Haven A. They next meet Clyne B at Cradoc for a place in the quarter-finals.

The seniors' B team bowed out of the Bowl competition with a 2-1 home defeat by Maesteg A.

Ludlow's Mark Rogers won the Alan Wilcox Memorial Salver 18-hole stableford contested by 55 members of Shropshire and Herefordshire Club Captains' Society at Royal St David's, Harlech.

Results: 1 Mark Rogers (Ludlow) 39 pts, 2 Steve Hughes (Belmont) 32, 3 David Barlass (Market Drayton) 32, 4 Ken Watson (Leominster) 32, 5 Phil Lawrenson (Leominster) 31; best gross: Bill Bird (Patshull Park) 29; seniors: Doug Briscoe (Wrekin) 35; veterans: Ron Burston (Wrekin) 30.

Afternoon 13 holes (hidden partners): 1 David Ball (Ludlow) and Dennis Mills (Leominster) 50 pts, 2 David Barlass (Market Drayton) and Brian Hunt (Leominster) 47, 3 David Hiles (Hawkstone Park) and Terry Thomas (Belmont) 47, 4 Doug Briscoe (Wrekin) and Alan Chapman (Lilleshall Hall) 45.

The Society started their series of matches against other counties with a victory over Derbyshire at Hawkstone Park.