THE men’s De Vere open better-ball was hosted by The Worcestershire in Malvern Wells with a good entry of 52 pairs.

Members and visitors alike were full of praise for the superb playing conditions under new course manager Steve Lloyd, although heavy rain and hailstorms provided a different type of challenge for the afternoon players.

Simon Phillips (handicap 10) and Graham Chatterton (14) had a relatively comfortable morning round, recording a sound score of 45 stableford points, and were leaders in the clubhouse for most of the day.

However, towards the end of the field were fellow home players Paul Yorke (4) and Lee Whittall (7) who, despite being drenched with rain on more than one occasion, returned a fine winning score of 46 to lift the De Vere Trophies.

Mike Hanna and Bill Thomas eased out P Matthews and D Phillips, of Worcester Golf and Country Club, to take the third slot, both on 42, with Paul Jones and Neville Clarke fifth on 41.

The best gross score of the day was recorded by the club’s ‘A’ team captain Andy McCabe, playing with Tom Howells.

The in-form Whittall and McCabe took their ‘A’ game to Minchinhampton, finishing equal first in the men’s open 36-hole stableford.

They recorded 41 points in the morning better-ball and 38 in the afternoon foursomes for a grand total of 79.

In men’s matches, The Worcestershire hosted Sapey in a fixture which always generates local rivalry.

True to form, most matches were closely contested but home advantage came to the fore with the Malvern Wells club recording a sound 5-1 victory.

Club captain Steve Bradshaw and John Flanagan won one-up with the final putt on the last hole before Dave Turner and Mark Read followed them home in exactly the same fashion.

There were further wins for Brian Kendall and Rob Merley, Andy Dunster and John Flanagan and Neil Bogart and Hanna.

The pairing of Roger Brierly and Terry Cox suffered the only defeat for The Worcestershire.

The bi-annual fixture saw The Worcestershire beat Bransford 5-1 as home advantage proved crucial again.

Former Bransford members Bradshaw (7) and Ralph Kelsall (8) defeated Graham Thomas (15) and Steve Bourne (12), while McCabe (5) and Phil Birch (6) won 5&4 against Pete Anthony (11) and Jim Maloney (17).

Howells (2) and Paul Wakely (10) beat Bransford vice-captain Mark Tipton (11) and Andy Kennedy (10) 3&2 and the strong pairing of Geoff Fox (5) and Dunster (5) overcame the visitors’ captain Eliot Payne (14) and Mitchell Fowles (10). Dave Marshall (1) and Steve Carter (10) proved too strong for Rob Richards (11) and Sam Jones (5) 3&2 but in-form Bransford pair Andrew Lammas (6) and Wayne Harris (14) got the better of Steve Lane (+1) and Josh Marshall (8) 5&4.

The result is carried forward to the return fixture at Bransford where The Worcestershire hope to seal the 1½ points needed to retain the Tim Wilson Trophy.

The midweek veterans’ stableford saw Division Two’s Robert Peet record the best score of the day.

Carding 42 points, he reduced his playing handicap from 19 to 17.

Peter Western (25) followed him home on 39 with Ivor Dalgleish third on 37.

Division One winner Colin Lowe (14) recorded 38, two clear of David Horrobin (13), with Simon Clayson (12) third on 34.