Warwickshire Golf
Senior Matchplay Final 2023 - Report
CREED SHOWS CLASS AT OLTON
The Final of the Warwickshire Seniors Match play Championship took place at Olton Golf Club on Sunday 8th October between Steve Creed from Stratford-on Avon Golf Club and Maxstoke Park's Shaun Young. Creed was looking to repeat his win in this Championship in 2021, whereas for Young it was his first appearance in the final.
The players set off just before noon on a warm autumnal day with very little wind and perfect conditions for golf. The course was in excellent condition as witnessed by the scoring of both players and the greens were an ideal surface on which to putt on.
The opening hole is a strong par 4 measuring some 451 yards and after both players had found sand with their approach shots, Shaun holed an unlikely putt for par from the back fringe whilst Steve missed from some seven feet for the half.
The 2nd hole, another par 4, saw both players find the green in regulation, but Shaun three putted to return the match to all square.
Steve won the 3rd hole with a birdie 3 and the compliment was returned by Shaun at the 4th hole when his birdie putt made the match all square.
The 5th and 6th holes were halved with both players making par, but a three putt from Shaun saw him slip one behind and with the 8th hole also being halved in par three's, Steve led by one stood on the 9th tee.
After Steve's second shot found the green from the right hand side of the fairway, Shaun was left with an awkward approach from the right hand rough where he had to negotiate both trees and the front bunker on his line. Unfortunately his second shot missed the green and when he was unable to get the ball up and down for his par four, Steve was left with two putts from twenty feet to give him a two hole lead after nine holes.
Both players hit fine drives down the 10th hole, but Shaun's approach was over the flag and although he two putted for his par, Steve holed from seven feet for a birdie three and increased his lead to three up. The par 5 11th hole saw Steve find the green in two shots and his two putt birdie was sufficient for him to win the hole and extend his lead to four up.
The 12th hole saw both players miss the fairway from the tee and Steve was left with no option but to play his ball as a long pitch and run under the overhanging tree and finish within a couple of yards of the front edge of the green. Shaun had found a poor lie in the right fairway hand bunker and was unable to advance his ball all the way to the green, however a delightful pitch from fifty yards for his third shot to just a few inches from he hole was conceded by Steve for a Shaun's par four. Steve was left with some fifteen yards to get down in two to match Shaun's par and half the hole, but the Stratford man holed his first putt for a birdie three and an unlikely win and immediately apologized to Shaun for what he called a "rude" putt. The damage was done however and Shaun fell another hole behind, Steve now led by five.
The 12th hole is a downhill par 3 of 135 yards to which both men played a 9 iron, Shaun to twenty feet left of the flag while Steve hit his tee shot to seven feet.
When Shaun missed, Steve holed his putt to win the hole and match by 6 and 5.
Steve had finished with four successive birdies in his win and be four under par on his round for the holes played.
Shaun, whose only blemish to par was his two three putts on the opening nine holes contributed fully in a match that was played with great respect between the two players.
It was a fine match, on a fine day, on a fine course, with two very fine players, it was a privilege to have been there to watch it.
Stephen Creed - 2023 Warwickshire Senior Matchplay Champion
L-R : Stephen Creed, Mark Reynolds, Shaun Young
Mark Reynolds
President
Created by intelligentgolf version 10.1.2.
