George shows ‘em at Minchinhampton

Veteran George Ryall showed once again he is more than a match for the younger players with another scintillating display to win the Gloucester and Somerset  PGA medal over the Old Course at Minchinhampton.

The 58-year-old European Seniors Tour player, now representing Burnham and Berrow, started the New Year with a bang by carding eight-under-par 63 to win by three shots on a day of low scoring  when 14 players broke par.

He started sensationally and picked up six shots after four holes. He holed a long putt for his first eagle on the first and sandwiched two birdies at the second and fourth with another eagle when he pitched in at the third.

Further birdies at the sixth and ninth took him out in eight-under 29 with only seven putts. Although he failed to maintain that pace on the back nine he returned in level  par for his first solo win of the campaign.

The great support this season from record number of entrants in the weekly medals continued as 38 players  eagerly pegged it up at the quirky natural course on the common above Nailsworth on a glorious January day with only a light wind.

Newent’s Ian Brown was joint runner up with Ross Langdon (Brickhampton Court). He made an eagle at the second before adding five birdies.  Langdon made six birdies but his sole bogey at the last cost him sole possession of second.

The ever -consistent Ashley Mansell  (Clevedon) shot 67 to finish fourth. Bath assistant James Hannam shared fifth with Enmore Park amateur Matt Kippen on 68.

 Giuseppe Licata (Chipping Sodbury, who now enjoys a 44 point lead in the Total Triumph Order of Merit the Order of Merit ,  followed by Mansell and Ed Goodwin (Cirencester), was one of five players to share  seventh on  69.

The others were Russell Berry (Broadway),  Kevin Pitts (Mendip), Charlie Cossins (Orchardleigh) and Dan Toogood (Weston-super-Mare).