27 Jan 2014 at 23:36 | Published by: Freebird | Views: 17483 | News search

Top 5: Will Donnelly (5) Adam Kelly (2) Michael Smith (1) Andy Exall (3) Tony Kelly (5)  (Photo by Kent Minigolf Club)

It was business as usual as the 2014 British Minigolf Association season got underway with the Star City Open on Sunday 26 January at the indoor Adventure Island Mini Golf complex at Star City, Birmingham. The three-round, 54-hole tournament was won for the third time by the UK number 1 ranked player Michael Smith (Kent Minigolf Club), 2 strokes clear of his team mate Adam Kelly (the current UK number 2) and a further shot ahead of Andy Exall (also from the Kent club) in third.

Speaking after his victory, Michael said "I'm thrilled to have won the 2014 Star City Open. Whilst any win on the BMGA tour is special, to win having recovered from a slow start and to hold firm despite being challenged by two such great players as Adam and Andy is particularly satisfying. It is the perfect start to the 2014 BMGA tour both for me personally and my team-mates at the Kent Minigolf Club, who put in such a strong performance as a club."

The Kent Minigolf Club, the reigning British Club Champions, picked up a total of 12 out of the 14 available prizes at the event. As well as the top three places, the club saw Will Donnelly and Tony Kelly in 4th & 5th places overall (with Tony equaling the course record of 28 in the final round). Chris Wood was runner up in the Category 2 section with Dave Donnelly third. The club also took all the honours in the category 3 section, with Mark Wood winning the top prize after a play off with Marion Homer and Martin Greenhead took the bronze category 3 medal. Club Captain Sean Homer beat the club Vice Captain Scott Lancley in a play off for the Category 1 aces title with Chris Wood picking up the Category 2 aces title.

The other prize winners at the event were Paul Johnson (Midlands Minigolf Club) who took the Category 2 title and Emily Gottfried (Cambridgeshire Minigolf Club) who won the Category 3 aces prize.

40 players competed in the event on the 18-hole indoor Lost Hut Trail Adventure Mini Golf course.

BMGA Chairman Sean Homer said “Star City has become established as the traditional BMGA season opening venue and always produces some tremendous minigolf. This year was no exception and with the strength and depth of players we have in the BMGA, 2014 promises to be another superb year for British minigolf. I would like to thank all who played at the event along with John Whitehead and his team at the course for their superb hospitality.”

On the Saturday before the event, the Players Forum was held in Birmingham. Chaired by Sean and attended by a number of players from across all the player categories, the meeting gave everyone present a chance to discuss various aspects of the tour and also the chance to get a sneak preview of the events calendar for the season ahead - details and information from the players Forum along with the new 2014 Tour Calendar will be published shortly

The British Minigolf Association (BMGA) is the governing body for Minigolf Sport, including Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf. Formed in 1998 the BMGA organises Minigolf competitions for its members across the UK.

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