Golf: Mersey opener for 2008 Northern Order of Merit chase

Apr 22 2008 by Richard Williamson, Liverpool Daily Post

THE race for the 2008 Northern Order of Merit title gets under way on Merseyside this weekend with two of the area’s most prestigious events.

Proceedings start on Saturday at Southport and Ainsdale, where players will be competing for the S&A Bowl.

Twenty-four hours later 72 of the country’s top amateurs will gather at former Curtis Cup venue Formby to chase the Formby Hare.

As well as Northern rankings points, there will be prizes for the best three aggregate scores for players entering both competitions.

Workington’s William Bowe will be back at Formby to defend his title. Other former winners in the line-up include Stephen Brennan (Wheatley, 2005) and Michael Hunt (Pleasington, 2004). Hunt won the Order of Merit in both 2004 and 2006.

Last year’s Order of Merit winner Mark Young will be in action on both days as he begins the season-long chase for back-to-back title wins. He won the last event of last year, the Caldy Quart, to add the final gloss to his comprehensive victory.

The Longridge player had a commanding 590 points to spare over his closest challengers, including Lancashire county player Paul McFerran from Childwall Golf Club, who is also entered to play on both days. Former Order of Merit winner Ian Winstanley (Formby) will be looking for a successful start to his bid to repeat his success of 2005.

Local entries in the Formby Hare include: Mark Rabone (S&A); Kristian Taylor (Formby); Matthew Cox (Royal Birkdale); Anthony Stirling (Formby); James Wilson (Formby); Paul Williams (Hillside); Richard Blundell (Hillside); Chris Mooney (Formby) James Robinson (S&A); Paul McFerran (Childwall); Peter Shillington (Formby); Michael Williams (Formby Hall); Matthew Vercell (Formby); Alan Harrison (S&A); Ian Leadbetter (S&A); Steven Hargreaves (Bidston); Robert Hearty (Bromborough); John Carroll (Huyton & Prescot); Matthew Gregson (Formby); Ian Kearney (West Lancashire); Ian Winstanley (Formby); Richard Walker (Frodsham); Gary Lacy (Ashton-in-Makerfield)

Local entries in the S&A Bowl include: A Rimmer (Formby); SW Towndrow (S&A); D Goscombe (S&A); Peter Shillington (Formby); Ian Leadbetter (S&A); Kristian Taylor (Formby); A Eden (S&A); R Gillespie (Hillside); Ian Winstanley (Formby); Scott Fitzgerald (S&A); M Edwards (Caldy); Matthew Cox (Royal Birkdale); David Hird (Leasowe); Mark Rabone (S&A); Robert Hearty (Bromborough); James Wilson (Formby); Richard Blundell (Hillside); James Robinson (S&A); AW Harrison (S&A); John Carroll (Huyton & Prescott); GS Lacey (Ashton-in-Makerfield); S Hudson (Blundells Hill); Paul McFerran (Childwall); P Howard (S&A)

* LANCASHIRE Ladies recovered from finishing in arrears after the foursomes to win the traditional annual match against Lancashire at West Lancashire.

Stewart King, West Lancashire manager, with Jack Brookes from Pleasington and Formby’s James Wilson, with Chris Rice from Southport and Ainsdale, both won to put Lancashire a point ahead at the interval.

But the ladies lost only one match in the afternoon. Rachel Connor and Elaine Clark (Manchester), Catherine Roberts (Pleasington), Nikki Foster (Accrington) and Sarah Walton (Clitheroe) all won and with just Stewart King and Paul McFerran (Childwall) winning for Lancashire, the ladies recovered from the morning setback to win the afternoon session by three points and the match 7-5.

* ALANNA Vine from Stockport is the 2008 Cheshire Ladies Senior Champion.

Vine, handicap three and winner of the title in 2001 and 2002, won for the third time at Runcorn, beating Cecelia Lyon from Prestbury 2&1 in the final.