02 Aug 2011 at 23:02 | Published by: Squire | Views: 11151 | News search

Sean Homer at the Midlands minigolf course.  (Photo by KMGC 2011)

BMGA News Release by Richard Gottfried:

Minigolf Tournament double header weekend at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull

The 12-hole Minigolf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull played host to the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) Tour on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st July as 25 players competed for the Midlands Open title and 14 teams battled for the BMGA British Doubles Championship.

Chris Harding wins the Midlands Open 2011

First up on Saturday 30th July was the Midlands Open tournament with 25 players competing.

The four-round competition was won for the second year in a row by the reigning World Crazy Golf Champion, Birmingham’s Chris Harding with a score of 88(-8). Greenhithe’s Sean Homer defeated Canterbury’s Marc Chapman and Lewisham’s James Rutherford in a play-off to take second place after the trio had scored 90(-6). Chapman finished in third place. Rutherford was fourth, also winning the Aces Champion prize for most holes-in-one, scoring twelve over 48-holes, and setting the new course record with a score of 17(-7) in the fourth round.

The Midlands Open Novice title was contested by five players and was won by Marina Breedon who finished in tied 13th place overall with a score of 99(+3).

» full results
» photo gallery

Chris Harding & Marc Chapman win the BMGA British Doubles Championships 2011

Chris Harding and Marc Chapman continued their successful weekend as they teamed together and won the BMGA British Doubles Championships for the second year in a row on Sunday 31st July.

The final match pitted Harding and Chapman against Richard Skeggs and Oliver Florence, and was settled at the second extra hole of a sudden-death play-off, after the match had been pulled back to all-square by Skeggs and Florence in the final two holes of regulation play.

14 pairs competed in the tournament with each of the teams playing in a qualifying group stage comprised of 12-hole matches, before moving on to a knockout stage to determine the final rankings.

Commenting on his wins over the weekend Chris Harding said “I always consider this tournament double header to be the most enjoyable weekend on the minigolf calendar. The British Doubles Championships throws up some strange results and I was just pleased not to be part of a shock defeat in the competition. Congratulations to the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge for providing a course worthy to win a national title on.”

Marc Chapman said “We played steadily in the morning during the group stage and felt very relaxed and in control of the matches right through to the Final and the last few holes. We were able to hold our nerve and win a great Final match against Richard and Oliver who didn't give in despite being two down with two to play - it was a superb performance from them and definitely a team to watch out for again next year. The partnership between Chris and myself has developed well in the Doubles format and the team of 'May the Force be with Who' will be back to hunt for their third British Doubles title in a row next year.”

Harding and Chapman won through the group stage and defeated the team of Luton’s Richard Gottfried and Margate’s Scott Lancley in the quarter-final, and London pair Chris Jones and Alan Norman in the semi-final, to set-up the final match against the team of Richard Skeggs and Oliver Florence.

In the third and fourth place play-off match it was the Greenhithe, Kent team of Sean and Marion Homer who beat Chris Jones and Alan Norman.

The top novice team at the event were Northamptonshire’s Marc Bazeley and Aaron Jenkins, with Jenkins making his BMGA Tour debut at the event, finishing in a creditable 12th place. The other novice pairing of Midlands players Marina and Adam Breedon finished in 13th spot.

» full results
» photo gallery
» video of the final match

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