THE Maxfli Company has again generously sponsored the 42nd consecutive year of the South West of England open winter foursomes played annually at Yelverton Golf Club.
A full entry of 126 pairs drawn from Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset have entered. Included are 25 professional golfers who are competing for a first prize of £1,000.
The holders, Stuart Disney, assistant professional at Yelverton, and Miss Keiley Clarke, lost at the 20th to the Staddon Heights pairing of Richard Williams and Mark Wood. Disney and Clarke were disappointed with their standard of play and had hoped to make a better effort in defending their title.
Jon Langmead, former English Amateur champion and now professional at Hele Park Golf Club, and his partner Andrew Pascoe were surprisingly beaten by David Coombs (Sparkwell) and Sean Massey (St Mellion) by one hole.
Yelverton amateurs, Andy Webb and Graham Elliott-Smith had the distinction of beating the all-professional pairing from Axe Cliff of Mark Dack and Christian Vine by 4 and 3.
Matt Clay (professional from Stover) and his partner David Watson were unable to find the fairway from the tee and paid the penalty, losing heavily (5 and 4) to Graham Horton and Brian Rimes of Dinnaton.
Wesley Dawkins, a winner of the trophy in 1996/97, playing with Ross Whitelock, regretted missing a short putt for the match at the 22nd hole against Yelverton's Andy Price and Clive O'Sullivan, as a wayward tee shot at the 23rd cost them a place in the second round.
Last year's runners-up, Rob Brockington (Tavistock) and John Hirst (Yelverton) had a comfortable win by 5 and 4 over Yelverton's Tim Shobrook and Nick Roper. Bob Beeson and Brian Waggett (Stover) allowed a comfortable lead to be lost against Alan Kenworthy and David Dack of Axe Cliff before achieving a birdie 4 at the 5th extra hole.
Launceston club secretary, Brian Grant, playing with Yelverton's Bryan Blaber won a high quality and keenly contested match against Trevor Tape and Amanda Roberts (Holsworthy) at the 2nd extra hole.
Key second round matches to be played on Sunday October 31: last year's runners-up Rob Brockington and John Hirst are due to play the current Devon County Amateur champion Graham Ruth, playing with his 14-year-old son James, who plays off a handicap of 4.
Yelverton's promising 15-year-old Laura Eastwood, playing with Devon County player Nick Horrocks, has earned the opportunity to play against the former Curtis Cup player Lynda Simpson of Trevose who is partnered by Lostwithiel professional Tony Nash.