Wiltshire pair take Fourball Championship

Daniel Carter (Upavon) and Barry Forster (North Wilts - pictured) finally won the West PGA Fourball Championship at Teign Valley after coming so close last year.

After losing at the third hole of a play-off to Robin Goodey and Barry Austin (Downes Crediton), they bounced back to snatch a one-shot victory this year in an event that cheated the poor Devon weather.

The two Wiltshire assistants led after opening with a best-of-the-event 10-under-par 60 to stay one in front of home pair club pro Darren Everett and his assistant Ben Martin and the Ben Newman  (Ogbourne Downs) and James Pickard  (Honiton) team.

But it took a superb up-and-down on the last by Forster to avoid a play-off again although Everett, also in the final group, missed a putt for birdie that would have brought a tie. Earlier Forster managed to save par from beneath a tree after Carter had driven out of bounds.

Because of threatening weather, the second round started at 7.30am with a two-tee start and Trevose duo of Gary Lenaghan and Grant Slater, the third pair in the 2012 play-off, roared into the lead on 126 with 61 after an opening 65.

Past winners Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) and Martyn Thompson (Parkstone) also shot up the board with another 61. It could have been so much better as they missed a number of putts for  both eagle and birdie.

They both made four birdies on the front nine – sadly on the same holes. They eventually shared fourth on 127 with Rod Hibbitt (Cotswold Edge) and Chris Murphy (Raglan Parc).

Teign Valley owner Simon Lister and home professional Darren Everett who worked hard to stage the tournament were warmly praised for making the event possible after the club had been devastated when the hotel on the course was destroyed by fire last month.

Regional secretary Glenn Ross said: “The greenstaff have made a wonderful job on the course when you consider they went a long time without either water or electricity.”