MATT Lyne and Neil Harrison were the two victors in Stover Golf Club’s 2024 Men’s Club Championships.
Of all competitions to start the tenure on the brand-new course and it is the biggest one on the calendar.
Day one saw some wind accompanying the sunshine but this didn’t stop some great scores being posted.
In the second group out was Jason Marshall, who posted 5 birdies en route to a level par round nett 69. It took some time before his nett score was bettered but that feat was achieved by Neil Harrison with a fantastic Nett 68 including a birdie on the ninth.
Previous winner Matt Lyne came flying out the traps with a birdie-birdie start before carding a course record 71 to lead the scratch event by one shot overnight.
Day two saw calmer albeit greyer conditions. Greg Wilson was the first to show from the pack with a nett 69 to follow up his 77. However, Neil Harrison was not to be denied as he made a birdie two, before carding a nett 69 for a 4-shot victory and duly crowned nett club champion.
In the scratch, two-time champion Archie Christophers was on the charge. Starting the day five shots adrift, Archie went on to post a 69, breaking Matt’s record club record from the day before, to set a target of 145.
Matt Lyne and Jason Marshall were in the last group and the lead changed hands a few times before Jason finished on 147, 2 adrift of Archie.
Matt would par the last to equal Archie’s total and force a playoff. The drama unfolded in the sudden death playoff down the 10th hole as Archie drove the par 4 and Matt put it into the green side bunker. Matt played a great bunker shot and after Archie’s eagle putt grazed the hole they moved onto the 18th with a pair of birdie threes.
On the 18th, Archie found trouble off the tee, which ultimately meant par was enough to seal victory for Matt and his second club championship.
For the final scores, Neil won the Nett competition with 137, ahead of Matt and Jason who both scored 141.
Matt then beat Archie in that playoff for the spoils of the Scratch competition, after they both shot 145, with Jason just a couple of shots behind at 147.
Thanks go out to everyone who took part as well as all of the organisers and greenkeepers for providing a first-class competition, without whom none of this would have been possible.