Golf: Carpenter carves out a lead at Cowdray Park

The Carter Trophy is based on finishing positions in the monthly Stablefords.

Leader after two events is Brian Carpenter with 20 points - just reward for two top-five finishes - while in second place with 19.5 points is Rob Doney, also with two scoring finishes, including a win in January.

Joint third with 14.5 are Peter Burton and Dereck Cooper, who tied for first place in December.

The Eclectic is a different proposition and is based on various competitions throughout the year but with two Stablefords the only counting events so far.

The leading two players - Paul Owen and John Doran - both play off a handicap of eight and have registered exceptional scores at this early stage, 66 and 69 respectively.

Owen has assumed the lead by virtue of four birdies and ten pars, while John Doran has returned one birdie and 14 pars.

Harvey Terry has leapt from 22nd to third with 69.5 and last year’s Eclectic winner Dave Lucking is up to fourth from 20th, also with 69.5, after two events.

January winner Rob Doney is fifth with 70, while Terry Jasper has jumped from 21st to sixth with 70.5.

The number of players who have submitted cards after two events has already reached 102.

Cowdray Park’s Winter Foursomes have reached the final stages and will pit Dave Hirons and Terry Jasper against Phil Cummins and Tony Humberstone.

Hirons and Jasper, whose combined age is 145, used their experience to good effect to defeat the strong pairing of Sean Gallager and Colin West, having already beaten a number of other strong pairs on their way to this stage.

Cummins and Humberstone overcame the strong challenge of Dave Turner and Andy McFarlance to secure their place in the final.

A total of 62 Cowdray Park seniors competed in the second round of the Captain’s Prize in Arctic conditions.

Some resembled eskimoes with their protective gear, but with frosted fairways and frozen greens awaiting them it was understandable.

Despite the conditions, which eased during the morning, some excellent scores were recorded. Shot-making was a bit of a lottery but one man who hit the jackpot was six-handicapper Dave Hirons, who used all his guile to work his way round the course and return with a superb 39 points. It could have been more but for a slip on the last hole.

His score has put him back in the mix after a poor first round.

Another late starter, Phil Pett, came second with 37 points to secure a place in the top ten after two rounds.

Mick Colban achieved third spot with 36 points to claim second place after two rounds, with 71 points.

Pett and Colban have received a subsequent handicap reduction after their good performances.

Fourth best score was 35, achieved by Mike Hughes, Derek Smith and Brian Carpenter on countback. The two-round leader, with 72 points, is Paul Owen, who also leads the Eclectic.

Pett had a day to remember, clocking up two twos, on the ninth and 11th, with only Harvey Terry (11th) able to score a two as well.

To complete Pett’s day, he partnered Philip Singer to first place with a combined score of 71 points, with second place going to Gordon Kendall and Dave Hirons with 70. Captain Allen Sibley and Mick Colban were third with 69.

With the severe weather arriving, the latest of Cowdray Park’s Surrey & West Sussex Winter League matches at Bramley was cancelled, meaning each side received two points. Both sides move closer to current leaders Puttenham.

Thirty Cowdray ladies played in the best nine holes competition with best two scores to count on each hole.

In first place in a team of three was Janice Leath, Jenny Clegg and Tessa Stockwell with 44 points. Maureen Bailey, Brenda Hambidge and Pat Hewson were second with 42 points.

The best score for a team of two was 40 points by Judy Stillwell and Jane Holden. Second place was Polly Davenport and Jill Parry with 38.