East Riding sealed only their fifth Yorkshire Inter District league title since its inception in 1987 with a dominant display at Harrogate Golf Club. Skipper Andy Lockwood gathered his team together at the conclusion of a long league season to thank them for their superb golf and remind them that going unbeaten was something extra special and an achievement for everyone involved to be proud of.
The day had started well as foursomes frailties were finally forgotten after some new pairings and trusted twosomes delivered a morning of exceptional golf to ease any morning nerves.
Steve Uzzell and Jack Northgraves led the team off in glorious sunshine and looked to be heading for at worst a half to kick off the day. However, their opponents made an excellent birdie at the 17th and were fortunate not to go out of bounds at the last. A clatter off an oak tree meant first blood to Harrogate.
Match two was close all the way before Ryan Gray and Jacob Hodgson found some daylight on the back nine to triumph 3&2. Also winning on the 16th green were Charlie Milner and Jonnie Fisher who nudged ahead just after the turn and kept their opponents at arms length thereafter. Match four also ended on the same hole with Tom Brown and Andy Woodhead who were three up after four holes dominating throughout.
And so to the biggest and smallest winning margins of a morning which helped set up the day's victory.
Leigh Gawley and Aaron Brettell teamed up for the first time and proved an inspired partnership from skipper Andy Lockwood. The perfect fusion of Brettell power and Gawley accuracy were 4up through four holes and ran out 6&5 winners.
In the anchor match, George Clark and Luke Thornton were looking to cap an almost perfect morning for East Riding, but cold putters on the immaculate, but slow Harrogate greens had them chasing the game throughout. Another three whack at 16 put them one down again, before winning the last two holes to give East Riding a welcome (but rare) 10-2 advantage at lunch.
So four wins for the title as Steve Uzzell got the singles underway against Harrogate's club champion Joe Buckley.
The top order soon got into their stride and began to clock up wins with regularity. Steve won 2&1 to start the ball rolling, quickly followed by Ryan Gray who celebrated his birthday with a 3&1 win which also secured him the coveted Player of the Year Award. [see final standings here]
Aaron Brettell rounded off his solid season with a comfortable 4&3 victory and then Jacob Hodgson won his first singles point of the year with his 3&2 success which confirmed East Riding as champions.
Jack Northgraves, fresh (or not as the case may be) from a third placed finish in the Yorkshire Amateur and a four day trip to the Boys County Finals in the past fortnight, won a tight battle when his opponent carved his drive at the 18th out of bounds onto the practice ground and conceded almost before it had hit terra firma! The final member of the top six (who will make up the ERUGC six man team at Wakefield next Sunday) may not have won, but Jonnie Fisher found a little extra in the tank to win his final two holes for a deserved half.
Leigh Gawley impressed once again with a calm 2&1 victory and Charlie Milner followed him home when he shook hands on the 16th green. Andy Woodhead should have been a postman, not a policeman, as he once again delivered with a clinical 5&4 takedown of local member Tom Birtwhistle.
Tom Brown confirmed his second place in the Player of the Year standings in his debut season with a gutsy half in match 10, before Harrogate finally put a singles win on the board when leftie Chris Henderson beat George Clark 4&3. That left Hessle's Luke Thornton, who won the individual honours at Richmond in the Junior Six Man on Thursday, to complete an impressive singles display with a 3&1 victory.
So a resounding 20-4 singles performannce made the final score 30-6 in East Riding's favour and the celebrations could begin. An unbeaten season and a second YIDU league title in three years for Andy Lockwood's talented team which has had a perfect blance of youth and experience, but most importantly, an infectious team spirit.
On to Wakefield on Sunday 10 September to challenge for a rare double.
Jonathan Clark
ERUGC Junior League Secretary
