Hessle Victory at the Hull & District at Hornsea
18/03/2012
FATHER and son Mike and Ben Atkinson put on a late spurt to take the spoils at the Hull & District Golfing Association's meeting at Hornsea.
Recent recruits to Hessle Golf Club, both having previously been members at Hull, the Atkinsons appeared to be off the pace at only two under par for the first two thirds of the round.
But an upward gear shift saw them play the last six holes in five under par to return a score of 65 with ten handicap Mike, a past president of the association, effectively using his shot allowance by recording a couple of nett birdies, and son Ben (4) finishing in a blaze of glory with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18.
The Atkinsons' 65 was equalled by the home club's low handicap pairing of professional David Close (Scr) and amateur partner Adrian Rosindale (3), but when it came to the back six count-back they were unable to compete with the Hessle pair's five under birdie blitz and had to settle for the runner-up slot.
Third place went to another father and son partnership, the home club duo of Paul (8) and son James (5) Robinson who were two shots back on 67 alongside three other pairs, prevailing on a back six count-back.
Ben Atkinson said: "Although we played steadily over the first two thirds of the round we were not front runners until our birdie run over the last six holes.
"That certainly smartened up our card and put us in pole position."
If there was a downside to the Atkinsons' win it was that as Mike is a former president of the association and the pair were playing in a past president's start time, this was not a counting pair for Hessle in the Victor Hurdle.
As a result, the home club were able to extend their lead in the table from seven to ten shots over joint second-placed clubs, Hessle and Hull, and despite the unpredictability of the game it does look as though, with only one round remaining at Hull, Hornsea are home and dry.
Leading better-ball scores: 65 M.Atkinson (10) & B.Atkinson (5) Hessle, D.Close (Scr) & A.Rosindale (3) Hornsea; 66 J.Robinson (4) & P.Robinson (8) Hornsea, D.Moore (5) & T.Wilkinson (5) Ganstead Park, R.Norton (Scr) & N.Bloomfield (5) Beverley & E.R., J.Illingworth (10) & C.Jarvis (13) Cave Castle.
Victor Hurdle placings: 1st Hornsea 579, 2nd = Hessle & Hull 589, 4th = Cave Castle & Ganstead Park 592, 6th Beverley & E.R. 600, 7th = Hainsworth Park & Springhead Park 603, 9th Sutton Park 606, 10th Withernsea 608.
