Aldeburgh pair retain Joe Proudfoot Memorial Cup

Keith Preston and Simon Reeve of Aldeburgh became the first pair to retain the Joe Proudfoot Memorial Cup, a better ball competition which traditionally precedes the Suffolk PGA annual meeting.

Their five-under-par 67 at Felixstowe Ferry, in a slight breeze, was enough to beat playing partners Robert Joyce and Peter Latimer from the host club by a single shot.

Joyce and Latimer were four-under at the turn and one shot ahead of their rivals. They went two shots ahead after the 11th.

Then the par-three 12th hole produced a birdie for the Aldeburgh pair and a bogey for their rivals. Then it was level pegging until Reeve produced a birdie at the 444-yard par four 17th hole that put the Aldeburgh pair ahead for the first time since they surrendered their early lead to a birdie at the third.

Third place went to Chris Smith and Alastair Spink of Fynn Valley with two-under-par 70. They were one-under for each nine.

Two pairs shared fourth place with rounds of 72. They were Tony Moore (American Golf, Ufford Park) and Andy Kirk (Ufford Park) together with Haverhill pair Paul Wilby and Ollie Rush. Kirk moves to Essex this week having been appointed as a coach at the Lee Westwood Academy at Stoke by Nayland.