It is so great to see the sun out on the course, and I think it's fair to say, the course looks magnificent. Many thanks to David Brenes for taking some fantastic pictures of the course for me. Here are just a few for your eyes:
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Southern Cross Competition
The Southern Cross competition is always very well attended especially with the nice weather on Friday and Saturday. In fact, on Friday the pair of Will Edmund and Mike Wrigley shot 46 points, not only to win the days competition, but the Southern Cross Trophy too. In their wake were the team of Tom Beaumont and Michael Lawrence with 43 points.
On Saturday 39 pairs played, with top spot going to the team of Bill Wardrope and Sam Keevill with 42 points. In runner-up spot was Paddy O'Connor and Dave Gibbons with 41points on countback.
On Sunday, the poor weather meant that only 13 teams ventured out, Dave Nash and Tony Schooling scored a very creditable 42 points in the conditions, with Simon Morrell and Colin Taylor the runners-up with 41pts.
The Louis Nalty Trophy
It was great to see the Lady Captain at the top of the leaderboard with partner Finola Cunningham, securing the Louis Nalty trophy with 41pts. Janet Aldread and Tita McCart finished in the runner up spot with 39pts.
Adult/Junior Easter Fayre
The Adult / Junior Easter Fayre saw Martin Clark and Nathan Zeqiri take top prize with 45 points. Their nearest rivals were Lee Thorn and Max Broughton on 42 points.
SPGC Junior Foursomes Challenge
Congratulations to the Sundridge Park Team who were triumphant on winning the SPGC Junior Foursomes Challenge. The team of six juniors were victorious over 11 clubs from all over Kent. Sundridge Park won by a narrow margin of 2 points (105) from close rivals the Nevill Golf Club scoring 103 points from the combined total of all 3 pairings.
Mixed Scramble Competition
Well done to winners Diane & Terry Hobbs and Tita & David McCart who won the Mixed Scramble Competition on Easter Monday with a nett 59.1 (gross 65). The combination of Kennedys and Maces were second, three shots adrift with a net 62.1 with the next team (the Goldsmiths and Hambridges) 0.1 behind.
The European Tour remains in Asia this week for the Volvo China Open at Genzon GC. A star-studded field has assembled and Australia's Brett Rumford is defending champion.
This is the 20th edition of the Volvo China Open and a number of the world's best players will tee it up. 2013 FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai champion Henrik Stenson is on the start sheet, so too Ian Poulter, USPGA champion Jason Dufner and Francesco Molinari.
Since this event was first contested on the European Tour schedule in 2005, there have been some great editions of the competition. In 2006 Paul Casey beat fellow Englishman Oliver Wilson in a playoff, in 2010 Y.E. Yang was an impressive winner before Nicolas Colsaerts put on a display of power hitting to triumph the following year.
Last season Brett Rumford won by four from Mikko Ilonen. The Australian made it two wins in as many weeks after claiming the Ballantine's Championship seven days earlier.
It's a new venue for this year's tournament. The Genzon Golf Club was opened in 1995 then renovated in 2008. The course is the work of renowned Canadian architect Neil Haworth and the club is the first in Asia to use "Platinum" green turf.
15-year-old Chinese sensation Guan Tianlang is also in field this week. Guan became the youngest player to make the cut at the Masters Tournament in 2013, aged 14 years and five months. He played in the Volvo China Open two years ago, setting the record as the youngest player to appear in a European Tour event.
The forecast is for rain on Thursday and over the weekend. Much like last week in Malaysia, there could well be a weather delay or two for the players to contend with.
Player Watch:
Pablo Larrazabal - Tied 8th last week in Malaysia despite being attacked by hornets! The Spaniard is a winner this year already on the European Tour, he was tied 5th in this event last year, albeit over a different course.
Nicolas Colsaerts - A former winner of the China Open, the big-hitting Belgian was tied second last week in Malaysia.
Ricardo Santos - An outside pick but, the Portuguese player is showing signs of good form with a tied 10th in the NH Collection Open then a tied 18th last week. That would have been a good deal better had it not been for a closing round of 74.
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