Surrey Golf
First Team SEG Match Result v Kent
Last weekend the Surrey 1st team headed to Kent for their final league match of the season. After two strong victories the league was poised with Surrey, Kent or Hampshire still able to come out on top. Kent would require 10 game points, Surrey 5.5 and anything in between would mean Hampshire would come out on top by virtue of their two strong wins over Kent & Sussex.
Rochester & Cobham would host the match and after the recent rain was playing superbly with any wayward shots punished by deep fescue.
The Surrey team was much changed after the first two matches by virtue of four of the Hampshire match team returning to their US universities (along with a few others).
The captain looked towards the future and decided to propel our U18 players to the front line, however, this plan was hampered by the British Boys finals being on the same weekend and the resulting loss of a few more players.
The final team selected was as follows:
- David Corben (Captain)
- Oscar Lent
- Max O'Hagan
- Ben Palmer
- David Primrose
- Freddie Surgey
- Harry Uzzell
- Alex Wells
Corben and Uzzell would team up again and lead off the foursomes. A quick start saw them win the first four holes, but a poor run saw their opponents draw level at the turn. Surrey would find themselves dormie two down and despite winning the 17th would lose the 18th to lose the first match two down.
Unfortunately, that was about as close as it got for Surrey in the foursomes. Match two ended reasonably early with Kent playing flawless foursome's golf. Our experienced pair in match three would also go down 4&3 and the final pairing, Freddie Surgery and Alex Wells would, despite putting together a good round of alternate shot golf, lose by the same mark. At lunch Kent would lead 4-0 and eyeing up the 10 points they needed.
With early points imperative the captain led the team out, facing up to old foe Liam Burns. A quick start was required and after starting 3-3-3 the Surrey captain got his nose ahead and would stay there.
In the second match Max O'Hagan would also start quickly. Both Surrey players would deliver commanding performances and victories by 4&2 and 3&2 enabled the early points on the board that were so desperately needed.
At this moment we sensed nervousness in our opponents. Harry Uzzell, despite battling issues off the tee, was ahead in the third match. Oscar Lent was ahead; Alex Wells led his opponent and Ben Palmer in the final match was a couple up against England player Mason Essam.
Last year away at Sussex we would play the 18th hole six times and would win it five of those times to produce one of the best away victories the captain could recall. On this occasion though we would play the 18th five times, and on each occasion come out second best. At this level it can come down to narrow margins.
Harry would unfortunately finish on the wrong side of a one-hole margin. Oscar, playing the last one-up, would miss from 10-feet after his opponent, Conner Bell, stiffed his approach. At this moment Freddie would succumb 3&2 to member Nick Panting. Kent had 6.5 points and we needed victories from the final three matches.
Alex, playing the drivable 17th one-up would chip in for birdie from the horrible sandy apron following the club's recent course maintenance. His opponent would get up-and-down from the greenside bunker to stay in the match and then would win the last for another halved match.
Both teams were now acutely aware of the situation and with Kent winning the 7th match the final match would go down the 18th all-square. A final birdie for Kent would secure them the final match and a 9-3 victory.
A disappointing end to the campaign but one which shows so much light for the future. Within the county set-up we have the current England U16, U18 and mid-age champions. Last Sunday Kris Kim won the British Boys and along with Monty Holcombe were selected for GB&I for this week's Jacques Leglise trophy. Monty would have been in the team but had to pull out at the last minute due to this selection, I thank David Primrose for standing in at the last moment.
We thank Rochester & Cobham for their hospitality and as a team, thank John Noble, Jim Christine, Simon Crockett and Steve McNeill for their work behind the scenes.
We congratulate Kent and wish them all the best at the National Finals. We will be working to make certain we are back there next year and with the players and processes we have in place I am extremely optimistic.
Left to Right Jim Christine (Surrey Coach), Ben Palmer, David Corben (Captain), Max O'Hagan, Oscar Lent, Alex Wells, David Primrose,
Freddie Surgey, Harry Uzzell, Simon Crockett (Surrey Champ Chairman) and John Noble (Surrey Lead Coach).
Created by intelligentgolf version 10.1.2.
