ERUGC 17 – 19 Harrogate Union
Filey Golf Club
Sunday 28th June, 2026
It’s never easy watching the best of East Riding’s top golfers, who have often had to dig deep to rescue lost causes over recent years. Afternoon comebacks have become a speciality after poor foursomes showings, but we witnessed a morning comeback of sorts before another one late in the afternoon sun.
Sadly, despite some gutsy golf from the hosts, Harrogate hung on to run out 19-17 winners.
East Riding were fielding a new look team with many unavailable for a variety of reasons. Captain Rees Brown sent out the local in form course experts at the top of the order in the morning foursomes. Tom Sanghera and George Davies (pictured below) took on Harrogate’s best two players and were finally beaten on the 18th.
Hull boys Charlie Milner and George Clark followed and were 3up through 7 and cruising, but wobbled around the turn to be trailing after 15 holes. Match 3 took a very similar pattern as ‘Team TB’ – Tom Benson and Tom Brown – went 2up through 7 holes, only to find themselves 2 down after 14.
Match 4 saw Tom Duck partnering Chris Pennock who was making his Union debut. Early three putts put the Scarborough North Cliff pair behind the 8 ball and they eventually succumbed on the 17th green.
The Hornsea pairing of Leigh Gawley and Seth Topham were also down after 10 holes, whilst the anchor pairing of Andy Woodhead and Steve Sorrenson were behind all day and lost 4&2.
So three wins to Harrogate and East Riding trailing in the other three matches. 12-0 to the visitors was a possibility.
However, the Hull duo benefitted from a Harrogate 3 whack at 16 to bring the match back to level and a fairway splitting drive at 18 by George, eventually followed by a nerve shredding five footer from Charlie (pictured below) claimed the points.
Team TB were on the brink at dormie 2 down, but pulled a half out of nowhere after a mammoth ‘Benson bomb’ (rumoured to be measured at about 345 yards) at the 18th pressured their opponents to lose their drive in the thick stuff. Another point gained.
Leigh and Seth finally got back to all square after 14 and then won the 15th before a Harrogate OOB melt down at the last left the ‘Hornsea postmen’ (they always deliver) winners by a two hole margin.
So 7-5 down at lunch felt like a good morning’s work in the end.
Captain Rees mixed up his order in the afternoon to try and manufacture some unexpected points. He packed his middle and lower order with some seasoned strength after putting more faith in Filey member Tom Sanghera to lead the team off.
Tom triumphed 3&1, but new number two George Clark ran into Yorkshire Champion Max Berrisford and succumbed 5&4 to leave Harrogate still two points to the good. Their strength was clearly in their top half and numbers 3, 4 and 5 duly delivered narrow wins against Tom Benson, Charlie Milner and Tom Brown to take a commanding 15-7 lead.
Then the comeback began (again) with Filey Secretary George Davies sharing 6 putts with his opponent at the last to hang on and win 1up. Tom Duck was buoyed by some refreshment at lunch and dominated his opponent throughout to win 4&3.
Coming into view at the short 16th, 2025 Player of the Year Leigh Gawley looked beaten at 2 down. Leigh is never beaten however, and won the last three holes to make the impossible look just about possible. Seth won again to complete a 100% day for the Hornsea duo and then news came through from the penultimate green of Chris Pennock’s singles win on debut.
On paper that put East Riding 17-15 up, but in reality Steve and then Andy were both shaking hands just as Chris was winning, having lost on the 15th and 16th greens respectively to confirm the Harrogate victory.
Thanks to Andy Pittaway for his patrol of the always picturesque first tee (above), given that it was in reach for the big boys. To Filey and their staff who looked after players and officials so well all day and a big mention to the greens staff who had presented the course in immaculate condition.
Team support Howard Palmer was in overdrive with water given the heat and Tom Elder, John Illingworth and Edward and Eileen Clark popped up all over the course to offer support and spot a few errant drives as the wind got up after lunch.
Next up is a trip to defending champions Halifax & Huddersfield on Sunday 12th July at Halifax GC. A must win match to potentially get back into the title race.
Jonathan Clark
ERUGC Press Secretary
