For the third year running the East Riding Junior Strokeplay champion added the matchplay crown to complete a stellar season with a double.
Hull's George Pepper saw off Ganton's Charles Wright in an epic semi final which could have gone either way down the stretch. George pulled ahead at the 15th win a kick-in birdie after a stunning gap wedge. With the match in his grasp, he somehow let Charles back in with an ugly double at 17, before both found the 18th with big downwind drives and wedges. George's 12 footer slid by and Charles stepped up with a chance to win the match from half that distance. When that effort also failed to drop, the two went off up the 19th where a calm regulation par got the job done for Pepper.
In the other semi final, defending champion Seth Topham of Ganton had an equally epic match with East Riding Boys regular Huxley Sawyer of Cave Castle. Huxley had the match in his grasp at 2up until Seth holed from 15 feet at the 17th to take it down the last. They too both hit it close at 18, with Seth eyeing extra time from 10 feet. However, Huxley holed from twice that distance to secure his place in the final. Quite an achievement having also knocked out Ewan Mackenzie in the quarter finals in mid August.
So the scene was set for perhaps the final which few had expected at the start of the day.
Pepper began strongly on his home course, but was pegged back to all sqaure through 6. A wild Sawyer drive at 7 gifted the hole to George who then birdied 8 to go two to the good. A classy pitch at the 10th set up another birdie to stretch his lead to three holes.
A clumsy bogey at 12 gave the Caveman some hope and things looked in the balance again as Huxley arrowed a wedge to 8 feet at the short 13th. George holed from slightly further though (pictured below) and then really took control with a sensational birdie at the dog-leg 14th. His fourth birdie in seven holes - quite a statistic on Hull's pure pacey greens.
Despite a bogey at 15, George regathered himself to find the middle of the 16th after Huxley had missed the green right. Huxley's excellent up and down put a little pressure on George's two footer (pictured below), but his putting held firm, as it had done all day, to finally take the title.
Seth and Charles played off to decide 3rd and 4th, but as they stood on the 18th tee at all square, they decided to shake hands and split the prize and get back to the warmth of the clubhouse!
ERUGC President Dave Greenwood presented the prizes and trophy in the clubhouse before gathering for a photo outside Kirk Ella's magnificent clubhouse. The finalists are pictured top with Junior Matchplay organiser Edward Clark who has overseen this event since giving the trophy in the year of his ER Presidency in 1997 - the Union's Golden Jubilee.
Thanks to Hull Golf Club for once again hosting the knockout stages of this event first won by home hero Richard Coulson in 1997. Ironic that Richard is now on the greens staff at Hull who had presented the course in such wonderful condition with customary immaculate greens. The staff in the clubhouse looked after players, supporters and officials so warmly all day.
Jonathan Clark
ERUGC Press Secretary
