THE Maxfli South West of England open winter foursomes, fourth round, was played on Sunday.
The day was cloudy but dry with strong southerly wind which helped players on the back nine.
Dan and Paul Hendriksen from the Churston club had the misfortune to play Staddon Heights' Gary Box and Neil Hailey who were in exceptional form. Box and Hailey were 1 up after 8 holes and immediately went birdie, birdie, eagle to go 4 up. Three putts by the Hendriksens on the short part three 12th hole prevented them from having any chance of getting back into the match before eventually losing by 4 and 3.
Sarah Shobrook, one of just two ladies remaining in the competition, playing with her husband Roger, saw their 3 hole lead after nine holes against the Okehampton professional Simon Jefferies and his amateur partner Edward Thorpe, reduced to just one after the 12th. Still 1 up with two to play the Shobrooks won the par three 17th with a double bogey 5 to clinch victory by 2 and 1.
Tom Squire, 15, and his fellow Yelverton partner Mark Taylor played steady golf throughout, also winning by 2 and 1 against Lester Barnes (Churston) and Mark Jarrett (Teignmouth).
Another professional to fall by the wayside was Simon Lloyd of Bigbury partnered by Neil Greet who also lost by 2 and 1 to Yelverton's Andy Price and Clive O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan, a former Welsh hockey international, and his fellow Welshman Price are proving a formidable combination with two of their four wins so far being against former winners of the competition. Their quarter-final match against Tom Squire and Mark Taylor will ensure that the Yelverton Club is represented in the semi-finals.
Torquay's Martin and Jerry Butcher have continued their good run of golf overcoming the Thurlestone professional Peter Laugher and his partner Daryl Day. The match was all square after 12 holes when the Butchers took advantage of their stroke at the 13th to win the hole with a nett birdie. With Day driving out of bounds at the 14th and a further birdie at the 15th by the Butchers gave them a win by 3 and 2.
In the match where two professionals were playing against each other Adrian Cave (Honiton) with his partner Barry Dunn had an easy 4 and 3 win over Iain Parker the Ferndown Professional and Jon Davey (Yelverton). Cave and Dunn were 4 up after 6 holes and neither Parker nor Davey could raise their game sufficiently to really make a match of it losing by 4 and 3.
Parker's assistant professional at Ferndown, Ashley Moon, playing with his brother Martyn, a previous winner of the winter foursomes, had a good win against Simon Bawden (Stover) and Christine Clayton (Dartmouth). Excellent holing-out by Christine Clayton in particular prevented the Moon brothers from establishing a comfortable lead that their superior tee to green game should have given them, however they were finally able to claim victory by 2 and 1.
Another professional, Richard Herring of Royal North Devon, lost in this fourth round series of matches. Partnered by former China Fleet member Duncan Sluman they could not match the experienced Stover pair of Dave Wills and Andy Beazley on the greens and a succession of missed putts proved costly in their defeat 4 and 3.
The five professionals beaten in the fourth round at least had the consolation of receiving £225 each in prize money. The two remaining professionals, Ashley Moon (Ferndown) and Adrian Cave (Honiton), are now left competing for the first and second prizes of £1,000 and £535 respectively.
The quarter-finals take place on Sunday January 16.