Golf - 1999 Masters tees off
Golfers brave 'nightmare' weather at first regional finals of the Accountancy Age/NMB-Heller Masters tournament
Twin-brothers Don and Bill Sutherland almost set a date with destiny and sparked some sibling rivalry when they found themselves competing in this year’s Accountancy Age Masters, run in association with business finance specialist NMB-Heller.
With a well-deserved stableford score of 38 at the Slaley Hall course in Hexham, Bill achieved first place in very wet conditions. Water underfoot was so bad players joked they might take a drop shot in the middle of the fairway as their balls were often submerged.
The weather proved the main factor in many players’ downfalls. There was no bounce on the course and tee shots often finished short, contributing to poor scores from many otherwise excellent players.
Denying the final the added spice of sibling rivalry, Bill’s twin Don failed to make the cut at the second of last week’s finals at Mere Golf & Country Club with a score of 27.
In this North West Regional Final, the famous ‘Last Four’ holes are some of the most talked about in UK golf, and players were forced to overcome the course’s gruelling hazards. The 16th hole proved most challenging, with one golfer calling it a ‘nightmare’.
North West winner Stewart Robertson scored an impressive 39 points to take the trophy and win his place in the national final. ‘I am delighted to have won. I hope this competition becomes a national fixture on every golfing accountants’ calendar,’ he said.
The next set of regional finals will take place on 23 June at Nizels, Hildenborough; 30 June at Hertfordshire’s Brocket Hall; and 8 July at Warwickshire Golf Club. The South West final was due to take place yesterday at St Pierre Park in Chepstow.
The national final will take place on 28 and 29 September at the Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club, home of the British Masters tournament.
LEADER BOARD
NORTH-EAST REGIONAL FINAL, SLALEY HALL, 9 JUNE
1st Overall Bill Sutherland
2nd Overall Craig Fotheringham
3rd Overall Paul Williams (14pts back 9)
Qualifiers David Hunter (11pts back 9)
Dave Allison (17pts back 9)
John Benson (15pts back 9)
Nearest pin Craig Fotheringham
Longest drive Dave Allison
Handicap Points scored
Peter Green 14 21
Bob Elliott 8 31
Bill Sutherland 14 38
Paula Simpson 3 23
Craig Fotheringham 7 35
Dave Allison 4 31
Peter Broadley 18 23
Donald McLure 5 30
Brian Magnay 12 N/R
David Harbron 14 24
John Benson 12 31
Paul Williams 8 32
Peter Bradbury 14 13
David Hunter 18 32
Peter Brown 11 24
NORTH-WEST REGIONAL FINAL, MERE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB, 10 JUNE
1st Overall Stewart Robertson
2nd Overall Michael O'Hara
3rd Overall David Kimpton (19pts back 9)
Qualifiers Ernest Thompson (16pts back 9)
Chris Atrill (14pts back 9)
Andrew Merrick
Nearest pin Neil Highfield
Longest drive David Madeley
James Plumbely 11 19
Martin Rayner 17 25
Dale Thorpe 11 30
Donald George 10 23
James Ridings 11 31
David Kimpton 5 34
Ernest Thompson 11 34
David Madeley 8 28
Andrew Winstanley 12 24
Carl Cunnelly 11 30
Don Sutherland 18 27
Michael Roff 16 25
Ken Stafford 5 28
Chris Atrill 10 34
Brian Thomas 16 20
Stewart Robertson 12 39
Paul Hurst 14 20
Paul Fleming 7 27
Andrew Merrick 6 33
Lawrence Bayliss 16 27
Neil Highfield 11 26
Alan Hoe 21 26
Michael O'Hara 10 35