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Cream rises to the top at delightful Dunham Forest (with pics)
The third Winter Series MDGA fixture attracted a full field with a big waiting list to play at the top Cheshire venue of Dunham Forest Golf and Country Club.
The day was blessed by fantastic weather, a great and historic course with top class hospitality and a wonderful après golf refreshment area on the outside terrace overlooking the 18th green.
The early pace for some fine scoring was set by Alliance legend Craig Corrigan with a fine haul of 41 which kept him in the lead for most of the day in the Individual Pro section.
He was eventually overtaken by Alliance OoM champion Jamie Howarth (Davenport) with an incredible haul of nine under par 45 points and Mike Bedford (Bramall Park) took third spot with 40.
Jamie completed the double with his partner John Nightingale (Shaw Hill) adding two points to set up the winning Pro Am score of 47.
It just edged them clear of Jamie’s brother Scott and Brad Cooke (Davenport) with Jordan Massey and Jon Beesley (Dunham Forest) a further point back.
It was even hotter in the Am Am section with Leigh’s dynamic duo of Alan Hehir and Aled O’Leary coming in with one of the highest-ever scores in this section of 50.
It left them five clear of Flixton’s Chris Mulhearn and Paul Thornley who won a cpo from Sale’s Senior Ladies England international Cath Rawthore and Neil Griffiths.
Jamie Howarth completed a great day by winning the Nearest the Pin Prize and The Christie Charity also saw the Alliance’s support continue as over £270 was raised by the weekly raffle to add to the money raised so far.
There were also celebrations at the 19th for Alliance regular Stand GC professional Mark Hancock who enjoyed support from his many friends in the Alliance at the 19th hole.
It was a great day for Alliance golf given deserving praise by Alliance President Ian Brooks to all at Dunham Forest and the supporting competitors.
The final award went to new Alliance Centenary Captain Grant Hamerton (Pike Fold GC) who was presented with his Captain’s badge by retiring Captain Don Milligan (Ashton on Mersey GC).
Geoff Garnett
| Pos | Professional’s Individual Stableford | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamie Howarth (Davenport) | 45 |
| 2 | Craig Corrigan | 41 |
| 3 | Mike Bedford (Bramall Park) | 40 |
| 4 | Grant Hamerton (MDGA Captain) | 39 |
| 5= | Graham Cox (Lymm) | 38 |
| Sean Blinkhorn (Leigh) | 38 | |
| 7= | Mark Hancock (Stand) | 37 |
| Alan Crompton (Haigh Hall) | 37 | |
| 9= | Andy Palmer (Chorley) | 36 |
| Phil Kelly | 36 | |
| Chris Bibby | 36 | |
| Scott Howarth (Davenport) | 36 | |
| Gabe Bagshaw (Ashton on Mersey) | 36 | |
| Scott Jackson (Disley) | 36 | |
| Ian Ridgway (Disley) | 36 | |
| 16= | Martyn Hamer (Davyhulme Park) | 35 |
| Ben Thompson (Werneth Low) | 35 | |
| Jordan Massey | 35 | |
| 19 | Tom Fenton (Tytherington) | 34 |
| 20 | Luke Higgins | 32 |
| 21= | Tom Clancy (Cheadle) | 30 |
| Richard Booth (Hale) | 30 | |
| 23 | Jon Cheetham (Whittaker) | 29 |
| 24= | Kris Andrews (Ashton on Mersey) | 26 |
| Dave Green (Dukinfield) | 26 |
| Pos | Pro Am | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamie Howarth (Davenport) & John Nightingale (Shaw Hill) | 47 |
| 2 | Scott Howarth (Davenport) & Brad Cooke (Davenport) | 46 |
| 3 | Jordan Massey & Jon Beesley (Dunham Forest G&CC) | 45 |
| 4 | Dave Green (Dukinfield) & Ben Hodson (Dukinfield) | 44 |
| 5 | Mike Bedford (Bramall Park) & Jack Everton (Bramall Park) | 44 |
| 6 | Craig Corrigan & Phil Cooney (Houghwood) | 43 |
| 7 | Ian Ridgway (Disley) & Dave Codd (Disley) | 43 |
| 8 | Gabe Bagshaw (Ashton on Mersey) & Don Milligan (Ashton on Mersey) | 43 |
| 9 | Andy Palmer (Chorley) & Andy Hannay (Stamford) | 43 |
| 10 | Ben Thompson (Werneth Low) & Matt Foster (Werneth Low) | 42 |
| 11 | Mark Hancock (Stand) & Gareth Mawdsley (Stand) | 42 |
| 12 | Scott Jackson (Disley) & Steve Misell (Disley) | 42 |
| 13 | Grant Hamerton (MDGA Captain) & Matt Robertson (Pike Fold) | 42 |
| 14 | Sean Blinkhorn (Leigh) & Dan Crook (Leigh) | 42 |
| 15 | Graham Cox (Lymm) & Anton Johnson (Warrington) | 42 |
| 16 | Tom Fenton (Tytjerington) & Mike Fenton (Styal) | 41 |
| 17 | Alan Crompton (Haigh Hall) & Alister Pegler (Pleasington) | 41 |
| 18 | Jonathan Cheetham (Whittaker) & Neil Andrew (Northenden) | 41 |
| 19 | Martyn Hamer (Davyhulme Park) & Andrew Coleman (Davyhulme Park) | 40 |
| 20 | Richard Booth (Hale) & Chris Hinton (Hale) | 40 |
| 21 | Phil Kelly & Andy Moore (Chorley) | 39 |
| 22 | Chris Bibby (Lowes Park) & Dan McGrory (Dunham Forest G&CC) | 38 |
| 23 | Luke Higgins & Max Ranson (Dunham Forest G&CC) | 38 |
| 24 | Tom Clancy (Cheadle) & Mick Holmes (Cheadle) | 38 |
| 25 | Kris Andrews (Ashton on Mersey) & Wes Reeves (Ashton on Mersey) | 35 |
| Pos | Am Am | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alan Hehir (Leigh) & Aled O’Leary (Leigh) | 50 |
| 2 | Chris Mulhearn (Flixton) & Paul Thornley (Flixton) | 45 |
| 3 | Cath Rawthore (Sale) & Neil Griffiths (Sale) | 45 |
| 4 | Paul Traynor (Saddleworth) & Richard Margrave (Stamford) | 43 |
| 5 | John Plunkett (Ellesmere) & Bob Seward (Ellesmere) | 43 |
| 6 | Tony Palmer (Chorley) & Paul Barlow (Stamford) | 43 |
| 7 | Ernie Thomson (Ellesmere) & Bob Hill (Ellesmere) | 42 |
| 8 | Lee Oakes (Cavendish) & Mark Oakes (Cavendish) | 41 |
| 9 | Neil Bolton (Cavendish) & Mike Oakes (Cavendish) | 41 |
| 10 | Greg Norbury (Flixton) & Phil Dearden (Flixton) | 41 |
| 11 | Alan Webster (Cavendish) & Ken Hall (Cavendish) | 40 |
| 12 | John Kilner (Hart Common) & Tom Baker Jnr (Hart Common) | 40 |
| 13 | Ian Stewart (Leigh) & Christian Raihnai (Leigh) | 40 |
| 14 | John Bell (Fairfield) & Bill O’Malley (Fairfield) | 40 |
| 15 | Charles Herbert (Alderley Edge) & Ross Birch (Stockport) | 39 |
| 16 | Sam Garnett (Davyhulme Park) & David Blease (Davyhulme Park) | 39 |
| 17 | Steve Finan (Stamford) & Tony Cavanagh (Stamford) | 38 |
| 18 | Mobi Rawthore (Sale) & James Maxwell (Knutsford) | 38 |
| 19 | Bob Barrow (Davyhulme Park) & Mike Wallwork (Ringway) | 38 |
| 20 | Garry Foster (Stamford) & Carlton Weldon (Stamford) | 37 |
| 21 | Hilton Alexander (Styal) & Richard Johnson (Styal) | 37 |
| 22 | David Wakerley (High Legh Park) & Colin Donelan (Duxbury Park) | 36 |
| 23 | Paul Crisp (Ashton on Mersey) & Mark Sellers (Ashton on Mersey) | 36 |
| 24 | Dave Smith (Hart Common) & Danny Beeley (Ellesmere) | 35 |
| Graeme Shackleton (Werneth Low) & James O’Neil (Werneth Low) | NR | |
| Chris Bracchi (Cheadle) & Jay Demspey (Cheadle) | NR |