Cornwall concluded their SWCGA Championship week with a fine win over the previously unbeaten Somerset county team at Weston-super-Mare GC on Friday. Despite a morning singles defeat with the score at 4.5 - 3.5 in Somerset's favour the Duchy team came out on top in the foursomes winning two, halving one and losing one. With the foursomes matches attracting 1.5 points each as opposed to the 1 point only on offer in the singles, the final score became Cornwall 7.25 - 6.75 Somerset.

County Captain David Kneebone said ' It has been a tough week , it always is. But I am very proud of the efforts my team have put in all week and today they have shown real fighting spirit in delivering a closing win for us. Having suffered two defeats on the bounce today was important to us and we showed real character in grinding out a victory.'

In the morning singles Joe Cruse was out first against Ali Balcombe and despite going into the closing holes in a winning position the 18th again proved a nemesis for Cruse as he lost the hole and halved his match. At number two Matt Richards was dealt a little of his own medicine. Having won so convincingly on the day before, this time he was on the receiving end as Will Poole delivered a 7&6 thumping to him. Poole, who earlier in the week won the SW Strokeplay Championship, was well under par and whilst Richards did little wrong a level par score was not going to challenge the in form Poole.

Sam Fernley beat Ryan Curtis 3&2 but Aaron Stephens put in a great performance to beat Jeremy Larcombe 3&1. Richard Jasper beat Somerset Captain Justin Lane 3&2 before both Josh Greenaway and Conor Wilson went down by two holes to Jonathan Grace and Matt Turner respectively. Playing in his usual number 8 position Rob MacGregor triumphed 2&1 over Phil White.

The first foursomes match saw Cruse and Richards up for the majority of the way against Jamie Clare and Turner but the Somerset pair claimed the last 3 holes to gain a half.  At much the same time Curtis and Stephens gained a win for Cornwall beating Balcombe and Tom Plumb 4&2. When Jasper and Jared Mortimore went down at the last to Lane and Grace all eyes turned to the final match on the course.

Cornwall proved to be the winners in this one as Wilson & MaGregor claimed a 2&1 win over Fernley & White to the delight of Captain Kneebone. The result meant a 3rd place finish in the round robin series of matches behind winners Somerset and second placed Wiltshire. In the other Friday matches Devon beat Dorset also 7.25 - 6.75 and Wiltshire beat Gloucestershire 10- 4.

In the Clifford Burden race to claim most points across the week in the matchplay stages Cornwall's leading points scorer was MacGregor who took 6.5 points from a possible 10. Matt Richards claimed 6 and Richard Jasper 5. The winner was Lee James of Dorset on 7.5 points.

At the presentation ceremony deep appreciation was expressed to the host club for their welcome, their service and the condition of the course throughout. Somerset almost swept the board of prizes winning the stroke and matchplay plaudits but some consolation for Cornwall came in the form of the Youth Championship Salver which was presented to Harry Hall (below)

Next years SW Week will take place at Cumberwell Park GC nr Bath between 10th and 15th June 2018.

Final Matchplay table

Clifford Burden

Team photo shows Back row L to R: Ryan Curtis, Aaron Stephens, Josh Greenaway, Rob MacGregor, Joe Cruse, Conor Wilson, Matt Richards.  Front L to R Jared Mortimore, David Kneebone CGU Captain, Glyn Rowett CGU President, Mike Ellis CGU Vice President, Richard Jasper. (Absent Tom Fox)