Stokes and Cutchie tie at the top

Mark Stokes (Bishop’s Stortford) and Chris Cutchie (Colchester) were victorious at the Manor of Groves pro-am after both signing for respective rounds of one-under-par.

Stokes stormed to top spot thanks to a brilliant finish in which he birdied his final three holes.

Teeing off at the sixth under a shot-gun start he must have questioned whether his chance had gone after a double bogey seven at the 18th.

But Stokes picked up strokes at the third, fourth and fifth for a round of 70.

Cutchie also bounced back from adversity to conjure up a stirring late charge.

Starting at the 13th, he  made a triple bogey at the fourth and followed up with another dropped shot at the next.

But he closed out with three birdies in his final five holes to match the score of Stokes.

The pair were a shot clear of Rob Coles (Maylands Golf & Country Club), Craig Housden (Little Channels Golf Centre), Murray White and James Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City).

Stokes’ quartet won the team event on a tally of 121 – seven clear at the top.