Newcomer Curtis challenges champion Ruth

Bude and North Cornwall’s new assistant Adam Curtis is becoming a youngster to watch in Cornwall golf circles and came close to pulling off a shock victory in the Cornwall Professional Golfers’ Alliance meeting at Trevose.

Inevitably first place went again to James Ruth (China Fleet), who won the Alliance championship in his previous outing.

Ruth, winner of the PGA West Cornish Festival at Trevose two years ago, is always the man to beat, and carded 42 points.

Curtis, 20, shot four under par 40 points over a course shortened on some holes to accommodate re-turfing work.

He shared second place with experienced home professional Gary Lenaghan for his best finish since signing with Nick Cook three months ago.

Curtis, who began working in the Bude pro shop 14 months ago when Cook took over from Mark Yeo, played in the Cornwall county amateur side for three years.

He played off plus three and returned to the county from Kansas after a brief, unhappy time on a golf scholarship.

His round started in the tenth and he finished by picking up five shots in his final six holes with an eagle, birdie, birdie, par, par birdie haul.

He said: ”I was one over on the 13th and suffered when I dropped a shot at the 15th when I lost a ball, so the finish was a great bonus.”

Grant Slater (Trevose) and Richard Sadler (Killiow) followed with 38 points on a cloudy, sometimes rainy day that attracted 80 members.

Three pairs signed for 46 points. Mike Masters and Norman Evans (St Enodoc) won on countback from John Sanders (China Fleet)/John Nicholls (Looe), Ruth/Matt Tamsett (China Fleet). Slater and Trevose general manager David Cowan were fourth.