Seventy-six players were greeted by warm and sunny conditions for the 32nd edition of the Quarry Park Open.
The course was in great shape, although a little browner than usual after the hot and dry July weather. Across three rounds, players produced close finishes, strong performances and several scores well above their current ratings.
MPO
It was no surprise to see Ben Holding take an early lead in MPO, but after two rounds he held only a slender two-shot advantage over Scott McKay.
The chasing pack closed in during the third round, with Jay Cooper Cooney catching Scott McKay to claim a share of second place.
Cooney also produced one of the shots of the weekend, carding an eagle three in windy conditions on the famous par-five Donut hole. Most of the rest of the MPO field recorded double bogey or worse.
FPO
View Georgiou entered the tournament as the favourite and opened with a six-shot lead after the first round.
She maintained her advantage through round two, but Jess Riley reduced the gap to a single shot after playing 68 points above her rating.
MA1
Adam Keen and Jack Smith entered the tournament as the joint highest-rated players in MA1.
Keen made the stronger start and consolidated his lead in round two. He appeared to be cruising towards victory, but Smith produced a late charge with a 984-rated final round.
Smith finished only one shot behind Keen in second place. Both players recorded totals that would have earned a place on the MPO podium.
MA2 and MA40
Local ultimate convert Nathan Simmonds had an excellent tournament in MA2. His highlight was a 974-rated second round on the challenging Championship layout.
That score was ten shots better than any other player in the division.
Another former ultimate player, Pete Harvey, secured the MA40 title.
Junior performance
Toby Jenkins produced one of the most encouraging stories of the weekend, improving in every round and finishing with a strong final score on the Championship layout.
It was a positive reminder of the value of giving junior players the chance to compete in well-run events alongside the wider tournament field.
Divisional winners
Congratulations to the other seven divisional winners:
- Aivis Garvitis, MP40
- Luisa Bartolome, FP40
- Charlie Mead, MP60
- Wes Brown, MA3
- Marketa Skoupa, FA3
- Eric Turton, MA60
- Jacqui Dyer, FA60
Thank you to the volunteers and sponsors
A huge thank you goes to Andrew Malcolm for giving up his weekend to help with the event.
Andrew and course spotter Alan Harper each received a physiotherapy treatment voucher from the tournament’s generous sponsor, Reinge Clinic.
Thanks also go to Andrew Douse for producing the caddie book and to Sue Underwood for her help, particularly with Tjing.
Finally, special thanks go to Luisa for helping with the course, shop, tournament preparation, takedown and catering.
