Garnett on Golf: Fricker wins Mackenzie Cup at Bungay

Suffolk junior champion George Fricker of Ufford Park (centre) with Tyler Weaver (left) and Teddy Hall who won the club team prize for Bury St Edmunds at Bungay. Photograph: BILL DARLING (Image: Archant)

He beat Max Adams of Bury St Edmunds by a single shot with Alfie Halil of Flempton in third place with 71.

Adams was three shots ahead of Fricker at the turn but the Ufford Park player was three under for his second nine that included an eagle at the 16th when he chipped with a 58 degree wedge from 52 yards.

Adams dropped a shot at the last or there would have been a play-off.

Halil was always in contention but he fell back at the par three 15th when he went on his knees to play out woodland behind the green and ended with a bogey.

These three and Tyler Weaver will be involved in the junior matchplay, reduced to four players, at Felixstowe on Tuesday, August 21. Halil will play Adams and Fricker will meet Weaver,

Tyler Weaver, now playing off five, had a round of 72 beating Jack Butcher (Gorleston) and Ryan Turnbull of Stowmarket on count back.

Tyler now has bragging rights over his elder brother Max having beaten him both at Bungay and in the junior open at Rookery Park.

Louis Martin of Haverhill, perhaps better at match play, had an eight at the 17th when going well. His highlight was chipping in with a blind shot at the 12th.

It was impressive that Teddy Hall (Bury St Edmunds) and Dominic Rudd (Thorpeness), both still in the under 14 group, had rounds of 73 matched by Ben Newman (Rookery Park) from the under 16s.

Holder Conal Downing (Rookery Park) is going through one of those lean spells and was way down the field.

Bury St Edmunds took the top two places in the club event, winners being Teddy Hall and Tyler Weaver (73 and 72) with Max Adams and Daniel Howes (70 and 80). Third place went to Thorpeness with Dominic Rudd and George Austin (73 and 80).

It was a pity that the event was reduced to 18 from the originally scheduled 36. Two rounds would have been completed quickly without having to wait for the finish of the many long-handicappers who did not enter.

To reduce the match play to the top four was because the entry was perceived to be so low. Maybe it should have been a question of quality over quantity.

The quality was there and most of those who took part would have qualified for the match play even if the entry had been 50 made up with more from the long handicap or very young age groups.

Next year let’s get back to the traditional way of running this event in fairness to Suffolk’s squad of up and coming boys regardless of the number of entries.

Gross scores

*under 16, **under 14. Others under 18.

69: *G Fricker (Ufford Park).

70: M Adams (Bury St Edmunds).

71: A Halil (Flempton).

72: **T Weaver (Bury St Edmnds), J Butcher (Gorleston), *R Turnbull (Stowmarket).

73:**T Hall (Bury St Edmunds), **D Rudd (Thorpeness), *B Newman (Rookery Park).

74: L Martin (Haverhill),*T Crisp (Woodbridge).

77:*W Garland (Ipswich), L Hansey (Bungay).

78: *M Weaver (Bury St Edmunds) *G Austin (Thorpeness).

80:*J Ford (Southwold), *D Howes (Bury St Edmunds).

83: C Downing (Rookery Park), *J Iron (Haverhill), *A Mair (Aldeburgh).

84: **F Johnson (Ufford Park).

85:**H Meadows (Bury St Edmunds).

87: * L Green (Ipswich)

90: **E Johnson (Ufford Park).

99 **J Rust (Flempton).

107: **S Kubitzek (Bury St Edmunds).

- The successful Suffolk under-16 boys retained the Tom Finn Trophy for the third successive year against Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire at Melton Mowbray. Final scores: Suffolk 13.5, Leicestershire 11, Cambridgeshire 5.5.

George Fricker gave Suffolk a flying start and there were maximum scores from Taylor Crisp, Ryan Turnbull and Ben Newman. There were strong performances from team captain Max Weaver and Will Garland. Other team members were Ben Hembling, George Austin and James Iron.

It was a blow when Luke Green had to withdraw with a back injury.

The trophy was presented by Tom Finn who was thanked for his continued support.