Louis Meryon started from the 9th tee and in his own words ‘was all over the place’ for those first few holes and when he came to 16 and 18, he once again struggled.

‘I can’t play those two’, said Louis. He did however complete the front nine to finish his 36 holes in –1 for a 73 and 142, to join Paul Randle as clubhouse leaders. Behind these two were five players who could have made what was now to be a play-off

Oliver West struggled early on and was +3 for his round and +2 for the Championship with just a handful of holes to play. He would birdie three in a row for a 72 and 143 overall. Mark Davies missed loads of putts over the day and those in the afternoon would give him 73 – again 143.

Rob Browning only hit four fairways in the afternoon – again a 73 for 143. It was the reverse scoring pattern for Stuart Yates who posted a 70 in the afternoon (for 143 and for 139 as the Best Nett) but the best round of the day, equalling the course record at Robin Hood was the 67 from Anthony Gascoigne.

Anthony had played well in the morning but for ‘two or three poor shots which cost me doubles’. The afternoon was a very different affair with six birdies and only one dropped shot, some sparkling play and holing putts to match the figures on the greens of one of his playing partners whose putting was outstanding all day – but not with the rest of the game to produce a winning score.

Jon Wetton had just discovered that he had been made ‘All American’ for the second year, recognition of his three wins for his College. He started his second round with a blitz of birdies to be –4 for the nine holes and –3 for the day, with two par fives to come. Jon’s back nine was a disaster though, 40 shots

‘What a way to choke it into the house!’, said Wetton using some US ‘terminology’.

There was one more story to tell, that of Rob Steele who had kept his game going until a dropped shot on 17, courtesy of find his tee shot in a divot, on the upslope. Thinking he needed a birdie at the last, Rob went for his driver only to see it drift on the wind into the OOB fence. The resultant six and he was two shots out of the play-off which neither Paul Randle or Louis Meryon had been expecting. They went to the 16th to play the final three holes once again.

Both parred the 16th then a bogey from Randle and it looked like Meryon would take the title. He just need one good tee shot. It was not to be and his ball was up against the OOB fence. Taking a drop, he managed to find the rough within a wedge distance of the hole but Randle had already hit his approach to 20ft. Louis bent his approach to the same distance and failed to hole out, leaving Paul with two putts for the title – which he duly managed.

‘Half a bad shot, and that’s it’, rued Louis at the presentation, ‘I thought I hit it great and it just drifted.’

For Paul Randle, this was a special moment despite the surprise.

‘I’m just shocked’, said Paul, ‘I’ve come close before, not really close but been in finals.

‘Today, from tee-to-green, its been really good but I haven’t holed anything. To stand over a two and a half footer on 18 to win, having missed from the same distance in the regular play – I just put my head down and hit it.’

The Team Trophy went to Nuneaton, on second round countback from Kenilworth with 435 – Their Team was Paul Randle, Jon Wetton and Ryan Burton.

The Best Nett was to be won by Stuart Yates, with 139, courtesy of his second round of nett 68.

CSS was 72 for both rounds

Pictured – Paul Randle with the Championship Trophy, All the prize winners with the President of Robin Hood and Jim Dean, WU President, Stuart Yates, Nett Trophy winner.

We alopogise for the lateness of posting this report. There were server problems beyond our control. There is a gallery of more than 30 pictures from the course and Presentations in County Men | Championships | Amateur | Pictures