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2003 Matchplay Championship
held at Olton GC - 13th and 15th June With a wonderful trophy, covered in Warwickshire Golf History, Matt Cryer was more than happy with his first Warwickshire Title. He is the holder of the TP Cooke Salver but having played so well through Junior and Senior ranks, he had never won a name title - until today.

Having played some extraordinary golf in early rounds (more later), Cryer would have been favourite in the final, but he would have had full respect for his opponent Paul Randle from Nuneaton, a golfer who will play in the Warwickshire Team at the County 10 next week and is the proud possessor of a plus handicap. At lunch, Cryer would have been thanking his putter for keeping him in the final.

Randle could have been four or five up and lunch. His first 18 was flawless, a round of 66 with no dropped shots and just excellence throughout. Cryer managed number of birdies and saves through a succession of putts, some long, others shorter but not so easy on the beautiful Olton greens as the Finham golfers scrambling was so needed.

At lunch, Cryer told his father (caddying for him all day) that he was going to slow down his swing. That corrected any errors from tee to green but Cryer continued his flawless putting. Down the green on 2, then from 20ft at the next, from 15ft at the 8th, each was a hole win to go with a number of mistakes by Randle. He must surely have rued how well he had played in the morning and the slender 1 hole advantage that went with Cryer s 3s at 2 and 3 to start the afternoon.

Cryer had been in trouble in his semi final, 1 down to Chris Evans as they went to the 11th tee. This hole (at Olton) is one of a number of formidable long fours with trouble left and position needed far right. With just over 200 yards to go, Cryer pulled out a four iron and holed it - back to all square. On the next, he drove the green, two putted for a winning birdie and move back the 40 yards or so to decide on his tee shot at the tough par three 12th.

Out of the bag came and 8 iron and Cryer then holed out - a run of 2 3 1 - he ran out a comfortable winner of that match. With Evans having disposed of Amateur Champion Rob Steele in the first round, Cryer had won against a golfer in some form.

Starting the last nine of the final, Cryer was 30 yards behind Randle from the tee but played the perfect approach for a conceded birdie. Randle played an excellent approach which just didn t stop. When he missed from 10ft, the final was all but over and a pulled tee shot at the next left the Nuneaton golfer faced with having to win ever one of the remaining seven holes. He halved the 12th in birdie three but could not find the top level at the 12th and another red number to put pressure on Cryer - the result a 6&5 win.

The trophies and vouchers were present by the County President, Mr Tony Redding.

David Morgan on 2003-06-15