Golf: Basildon flourish as Rochford suffer

For, in the preliminary round, Rochford travelled to a very strong Thorndon Park outfit and were crushed 13-2.

Things were much brighter for Basildon, who got home 10-5 when hosting Colne Valley. They enjoyed a whitewash in the five foursomes and then fought off a spirited revival by their opponents in the singles.

Basildon results (foursomes): Eastman and Rodway won 5 and 4; Hodges and Pettet won 2 up; Wilson and Watson won 2 up; Goodwin and Short won 4 and 3; Cook and Nagle won 8 and 7.

Singles: Eastman won 2 up; Rodway lost 1 down; Nagle lost 3 and 2; Hodges won 3 and 2; Pettet lost 1 down; Watson lost 1 down; Goodwin won 5 and 4; Short won 7 and 5; Cook won 7 and 5.

First round draw (to be played on April 11): Birch Hall v Risebridge; The Burstead v Langdon Hills; Canons Brook v Belfairs; Castle Point v Warley Park; Chelmsford v Bunsay Downs; Chigwell v Hartswood; Chingford v Channels; Colchester v Essex (Earls Colne); Crondon Park v Toot Hill; Epping Forest v St Clere's Hall; Fairlop Waters v Burnham on Crouch; Five Lakes (Lakes) v Loughton; Five Lakes (Links) v Basildon; Forrester Park v Woodford; Frinton v Boyce Hill; Gosfield Lake v Stapleford Abbotts; Hanover (Georgian) v Warren; Harwich and Dovercourt v Maldon; Ilford v Epping; Maylands v Bentley; Nazeing v Thorpe Hall; Orsett v Hanover (Regency); Romford v Essex (Southend); South Essex G and CC v Abridge (at Abridge); Southend v Braintree; Theydon Bois v North Weald; Thorndon Park v Benton hall; Three Rivers v Royal Epping Forest; Top Meadow v Belhus Park; Umpinster v Ballards Gore; Wanstead v Stock Brook Manor; West Essex v Hainault Forest. Howard's way into headlines

This Is Essex's Howard Southwood hit the headlines at Rochford Hundred over the weekend when he scooped the Division One April medal.

Southwood fired 10 pars in his 82-10=72 which was just good enough to pip Steve Johnson (81-8=73) and Rif Buta (83-10=73).

Johnson birdied the 15th and added seven pars while Buta had eight pars.

Division Two was a close run thing with five players shooting net 71's. In the end Bobby Locke (82-11=71) edged out David Bolan (85-14=71), Joe Deal (83-12=71), Marshall Dale (82-11=71) and Bill Boys (87-16=71) on countback.

Locke birdied the sixth, sixteenth and eighteenth and notched six pars while Bolan shot nine pars and Deal birdied the 11th and 13th and enjoyed five pars but his hopes went with a triple bogey.

Paul Hickson had a runaway win in Division Three when his 87-18=69 was too good for Gerry Evison (91-18=73) and Fred Barnes (92-18=74).

Hickson had six pars to help repair the damage of a triple bogey with Evison having a birdie on the 11th and two pars. Barnes had five pars. Fenner and Short on top

Basildon got off to a winning start in their Daily Mail national team competition games when they beat Three Rivers.

In Basildon's annual Hull Charity Shield, Tony Fenner and Ray Short won by five shots from Ray Halliwell and Steve Rooney. Alan Nagle and Bob Young took third spot on countback.

A donation was made to the English Blind Golfers Association, who presented trophies to the winning pair.

In the mixed invitation foursomes, there was a win for Brenda Andrews and Colin Hodges (34 points) from Daphne Saitch and Jeff Harrison. They beat Eileen Prendergast and Ron Wilkes on countback after a tie on 33.

The ladies March medal went to Eileen Prendergast (72 net) from Margaret O'Leary (75) and Margo Longman (76).

Eileen Prendergast and Margaret O'Leary won their first round County Shield match against Weald Park 3 and 1.

Margaret won the club's Solo Mio event, a bogey, on minus two with Eileen third on minus three. She was beaten for second spot by Brenda Andrews on countback. Belfairs medal

Belfairs March medal went to 23-handicapper Brian Stivey, who took Division Three with a round of 70 to beat Bob Hall (25) by two shots.

Division Two went to Jim Pacey (16) with a net 67. His nearest challenger was Peter Ellis (18) who finished on 70.

Improving weather saw the best scores on the last day. Cliff Haycroft (14), with a vital birdie at the last hole, achieved his first success since joining in the senior division.

Runner-up on 67 was 11-handicapper Bob Taylor with both Barry Meddle (13) and Peter Broad (6) both on 68.

Belfairs Ladies senior extra medal went to Mrs R Barber (21) on 70 from Mrs J Woollard (24) 72 and Mrs A Meddle (18) 75.

Junior winner was Mrs A McLynn (30) on net 70 from Mrs M. Farrell (38) 71 and Mrs L Wellham (27) 76.

Castle Point Ladies medal went to new handicap secretary Sylvia Richards (19) on 74. Vice-captain Jackie Worthington was runners-up, the 23-handicapper having a net round of 75. Secretary Ann Gilman (20) 78 was third. Rochford Stableford

Rochford Ladies Stableford went to past captain Mary Horn, who cruised to victory in the silver section.

Mrs Horn's 30-point total was too good for Janice Hazledine (25) with Beryl Claxton pipping Joan Parr for third place after both chalked up 23.

The bronze division saw Lyn Ivision taste victory with a superb 37 points -- two better than Dr Susan Packer.

Doreen Wildsmith was third with 28. Rooney aiming high in county match-play

Basildon's Steve Rooney will be hoping to make a big impression in the first Essex amateur event of the year, the Keating Trophy, after grabbing the last qualifying place.

The qualifier was at Epping Forest and, after two strokeplay rounds, 16 won through to contest the match play, at Weald Park on Saturday and Sunday, April 10 and 11.

Only five of the 16 qualifiers are current or former county players and a further five come from the Essex boys and colts ranks.

As the 16th qualifier following rounds of 76 and 78 for 154, Rooney must start his matchplay challenge with a clash against top qualifier, Wanstead's Paul Knight, who had 72 and 76 for 148.

Thorpe Hall's Steven Shields, third qualifier on 149 after 72 and 77, clashes with Orsett's Mark Whiten (76+77=153).

Rochford's Daniel Warwick had two rounds of 75 for fourth place and now clashes with Ballards Gore's Glen Hooper, 77 and 76 for 153.

Ross Sullivan (Boyce Hill) followed up an opening 77 with 74 for 151 and now meets Orsett's David Doe (78+75=153).

The only scratch golfer in the field, Thorpe Hall's recent Sunningdale Foursomes champ Richard McEvoy, has two qualifying rounds of 76 for 152 and now meets Ricy Curtis (Abridge) who was on the same two-round total.

Essex finished all square at 7.5-all when they took on Norfolk. Richard McEvoy had the best individual performance of the day in winning his singles clash 7 and 6.

Scores (Essex first): Foursomes - R McEvoy and J Elliott halved with A Brydon and M Boon; J Leveremore and B Bishop lost to C Lamb and S Locke 3 and 2; A Fells and G Hooper beat D Marshall and M Barratt 3 and 2; S Harris and D Nixon lost to T Hurrell and A Huskinson 5 and 4; T Collins and S McAnally lost to S Boon and M King 1 down.

Singles - Levermore beat Brydon 6 and 5; McEvoy beat Barratt 7 and 6; Elliott beat Locke 2 and 1; Collins lost to Huskinson 4 and 3; McAnally lost to Marshall 2 down; Hooper beat Hurrell 2 and 1; Fells beat Lamb 2 and 1; Bishop lost to Boon 2 and 1; Nixon lost to King 2 and 1; Harris beat Boon 1 up.

Essex Boys also drew on their visit to The Warren.

Scores (Essex first): Foursomes - D Nixon and A Wright lost to E Lee and P Wrench 3 and 2; G Cornelius and C Housden beat N Greg and J Phillips 1 up; S. Harris and R Wilson lost to S Porter and C Moir 4 and 3; R Horspool and W Wild lost to N Tucker and R Mclean 1 down; S Mason and T Mason beat A Morrison and P Etteridge 1 up.

Singles - Nixon beat Lee 2 up; Wright lost to Wrench 1 down; Cornelius halved with Greg; Housden beat Phillips 3 and 1; Harris beat Porter 1 up; Wilson halved with Moir; Horspool beat Tucker 2 up; Wild lost to McLean 1 down; S Mason beat Morrison 1 up; T Mason lost to Etteridge 1 down.

L Shrimpton and A Ward (both 3 and 2) lost to reserves. L McNamee won 1 up and R Westwood halved his game.

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