Cornwall Seniors got their Channel League season off to a winning start yesterday at Bowood Park GC.

Taking on the auld enemy in neighbours Devon, the Cornish team prevailed 8.5 - 6.5 in what was a close encounter with the result not determined until the last of 15 games came to the 17th Green. On a day with little or no wind, the occasional morning light shower, a welcome increase in temperature and on a course presented in excellent condition, the team effort was immense against a Devon side packed with pedigree.

The honours were even after the 5 nine hole morning greensomes with the Duchy team dodging a bullet in the last of these as Richard Bunch and Rod Handyside (West Cornwall) earned a point at the 9th to tie the scores at 2.5 each, beating the strong Devon pairing of Mark Evans and Graham Ruth. The other Cornish win came from Mens County Captain Charlie Phillips (Newquay) playing with Colin Kitt (pictured below, China Fleet) as they won 3&1 against Tony Allsopp and Phil Lyons.The Duchy's half point came from Andy Rowe (Looe) and Warwick Holland (West Cornwall) as they tied with Chris Audin and Rick Osbourne. There were defeats for the pairing of CGU President Andrew Clotworthy (Tehidy Park) playing with seniors debutant and clubmate Richard Simmons and also Mark Blaber (Carlyon Bay) and Malcolm Edmunds (West Cornwall).

Lunch preceded an afternoon with everything to play for and as time went on it was clear this would be a tight affair. County Seniors Captain Paul Clahane had replaced Edmunds with another debutant in Kevin Mula (Newquay). Opening up for Cornwall was Mark Blaber (Carlyon Bay) and the current Seniors County Champion delivered the first point beating Allsopp 3&2. Next up was Rowe but the scores were level again when he went down to Evans 2&1. Next winner for Cornwall and claiming his second point of the day was Phillips with a resounding 4&3 win over Dave Eva. When Clotworthy delivered a point in a 2&1 win against Osbourne the Duchy had a 2 point lead. This lead though was wiped out as Devon registered wins by Audin and Tim Aggett against Bunch and Kitt respectively.

Devon's Chris Audin plays his approach to the long 6th at Bowood Park

Devon then got their noses in front when Lyons beat Holland 4&3 but with three games remaining on the course the news was good for Cornwall. Handyside had a lead of 2 through 15 holes against Devon Captain Colin Papworth, Mula (pictured below) was up by a couple on Ruth and back marker Simmons was also two up through 15. Handyside duly delivered winning on the 16th and Mula took his match against Ruth at the next. The scores were such by now that the Duchy could not lose but still needed a win at the back to secure an overall victory. When Simmons calmly made a half at the 17th the win was complete.

Clahane was delighted. "In this year's abbreviated league it is imperative to win your home matches. We knew it would be a tough against a strong Devon team but I am really pleased with the way we came together as a team and delivered. The standard of golf at this level remains very high and we need to keep this up going forward with our next match also at home (Launceston) against Somerset in a months time. I need to thank Bowood Park for their hospitality here today. The course was excellent and we have all been very well looked after".

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