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Levi Desmond of Sudbrook Moor Golf Club is beaten to the County Champion of Champions crown at Woodhall Spa




Sudbrook Moor's Levi Desmond was pipped in a play-off at Woodhall Spa for the men's County Champion of Champions crown.

He was defeated in a tense play-off by Hertfordshire’s Harry Cox who became the first person to take home both the men's and boys' County Champion of Champions titles.

Desmond himself was chasing history, looking to become the first man to defend his title, but he was edged by Cox who, after 36 regular holes, needed two play-off holes to take the win.

Levi Desmond.
Levi Desmond.

The first play-off hole (first hole) saw Desmond find the bunker off his tee shot, with the newly-crowned boys’ Champion of Champions arrowing his shot down the middle of the fairway.

The pressure mounted on Desmond as Cox's second shot found the middle of the green.

Desmond's rescue shot from the bunker was excellent as he too found the green, before both two-putted to take it down a second play-off hole.

Both made the green in three on the par-five 18th and an excellent putt from Cox from eight feet for birdie mounted the pressure on Desmond once again.

This time the Lincolnshire man couldn't match his counterpart as his putt drifted narrowly past the hole, giving the 17-year-old his second trophy of the weekend.

Before the play-off, a tense finale was guaranteed for those at Woodhall Spa with four players having a total score of four-under coming down the final three holes.

Durham’s Martin McCririck put the pressure on with an excellent second-round score of 69 (-4), which included an eagle and three birdies, as he held the clubhouse lead.

But man-of-the-moment Cox then followed with a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole, with Desmond tapping in for par to take it to a play-off.

Desmond, Cox and Antony Plummer (Derbyshire) sat as joint-leaders after the first 18 holes, with all shooting 71 (-2).

Desmond enjoyed six birdies but bogeys on the final two holes saw him relinquish his advantage, as Cox did the opposite in birdieing the final two holes of the first round.

Dorset’s Lee James, Durham’s McCririck and Bedfordshire’s Robert Sutton were all two shots back in tied-fourth after the first round, with Sutton celebrating an eagle-two on the 3rd after holing from 168 yards.

But in the end, Cox and Desmond battled for glory with McCririck 3rd (-4) and Plummer 4th (level par).

Ian Batty
Ian Batty

For a second year, Sudbrook Moor's Ian Batty has returned the best gross scorecard to win the Stanborn Shield and retain the Senior Strokeplay Championship title.

A birdie on the 10th hole set the pattern for a strong back nine finish that kept Ian ahead of nearest rival, Paul McCarthy, who also enjoyed a stunning score on the day.

Andy Dunderdale and Simon Gray shared third place while past winner, Nigel Corby, was one shot back in fifth spot, along with Neil Stokes, Ian Mason and then Steve Davis.



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