Greencard Tour Returns to Royal Birkdale

We were all hoping that the excellent weather we had been enjoying over the last couple of months would continue for at least another week and the tournament would be played out in good conditions. The opening round was played at Southport and Ainsdale. The opening par 3 is a tough test into the wind and this was a taste of things to come. This is a true test of golf, where any wayward tee shot will leave you scrambling to make par.

There was an early threat of a rain shower, however, within an hour of starting the round the sun was out and the conditions were very pleasant allowing us to thoroughly enjoy the S&A experience. Peter Abbott took the early lead after his excellent round of 35 points. Paul Speakman, Mike Singleton and Adrian Carran were on the early pace finishing just one point behind. Alan Orritt and Christine Fisher were two shots further back.

Lancashire Links form the “English Golf Coast” with some spectacular and challenging golf

During the night, there was heavy rain, which continued into the morning and as we sat at breakfast looking out at the grey sky we feared the worst. However, on arrival at our second venue, Formby, we were promised that by the time we were due to start the rain would have passed.

This is exactly what happened and we played the course in lovely sunshine with a little breeze. The course was in great condition and as was the case yesterday, keeping the ball on the fairway was the key to building a good score. Peter Abbott continued his fine form from round one with 38 points, the day’s best score. Alan Orritt and Adrian Carran were still hanging onto the leader each finishing the day with 33.

At the half way stage Peter was on 73 points and had created a six point lead over Adrian Carran. Alan Orritt was on 65 and Paul Speakman, who needed to finish seventh or better to qualify for the Greencard Finals was on 63 in fourth.

The venue for the third round was the headline course, Royal Birkdale and it did not disappoint. The sun was shining and there was hardly any wind as we set off and the weather remained like this all day.

The conditions were absolutely perfect for enjoying this wonderful course. It is without doubt a challenge to secure a high score here, particularly if you are out of position on any given hole. However, on the other hand there are also plenty of opportunities to score if you are playing well.

The closing holes are superb and the 17^th hole, par 5 brought back memories of Padraig Harrington knocking the ball on the green in two on this way to claiming the Open in 2008. The 18^th hole is also a par 5 for amateurs, and both these holes provide the platform for a late challenge on the scoreboard.

After the round the terrace overlooking the 18^th green is the perfect place to enjoy a cold drink and watch the action.

There were significant moves made by Dave Rothwell and Patrick Vaulkhard both scoring 37 points. Ian Robinson also found his form with 36. However, Peter’s early tournament form deserted him as he completed the day on 22 and dropped into fourth place.

Meanwhile, Alan Orritt kept up his steady play with 31 points, despite surviving an early injury scare prior to the round. Sources tell us that he was pulling his golf bag out of the car and the strap caught around the battery for his electric trolley. The battery ended up falling out and landing on his foot, breaking his little toe. Time would tell if this would end up ruining his chances of victory.

So as we approached the final round Dave had leapt into top spot. Alan Orritt was in second place and Neil McGarva in third. However, Peter, Patrick, Adrian and Mike Singleton were all within a few points of the leader. It was difficult to tell who was going come through and take the victory.

The forecast for the last round at Hillside did not look too promising with strong winds and rain. However, thankfully the rain did not arrive and we played the full round in the dry.   The wind was certainly there though and it made playing condition really difficult at times. The long par 5’s downwind were suddenly reachable in two good shots, whereas the par 4’s facing the opposite direction took everything and more to reach in two.

The two nines at Hillside are very different, the opening part of the course is tree lined and with some tight fairways position from the tee is everything. The second half of the course is more like the traditional links design, Greg Norman described the back nine as the best in Britain.

As the scores started to come in from the early starters it was clear that scoring had not been easy and the chance of a winner coming up from the pack as very slim. Ultimately only three players managed to pass the 30 point mark. The first of these was Mike Singleton with 31, the second was Paul Speakman with 32 but the leading score of the day belonged to Alan Orritt with 34. It was a wonderful score in the conditions and one can only wonder the heights an Alan Orritt in peak physical fitness could reach.

The top three at Southport 2014: Mike Singleton, Alan Orritt & Patrick Vaulkhard

Our congratulations to Alan for taking the title in Southport and qualifying for the Grand Finals in November. Mike finished in second place and Patrick took third position. Our congratulations must also go to Paul Speakman and Adrian Carran who claimed sufficient tour points to secure their place at the finals.

At the outset Southport had the ingredients for a great week of golf and it did not disappoint. The courses are stunning and without doubt we shall be returning in the near future.