Royal Blackheath Trophy

Our team in the Royal Blackheath Trophy (14-17) began their campaign this year with a home match against Eltham Warren.

We had four players representing the team for the first time and they acquitted themselves well. The visitors brought a strong team and there were some very close matches. However our team proved the stronger over the back nine and Sundridge Park won the match by 5 1/2 points to 2 1/2.

A solid performance by the team of Alex Yazdani, Brian Chessum, Peter Meehan, James Horgan, Martin Gallagher, Gary Dulieu, David Parkin and Ralph Bull.


Kent's 'Champion of Champions'

Congratulations to Ainee O'Connor (pictured here), Kent's 'Champion of Champions'. 26 Club Champions battled the elements for the Champion of Champions Trophy on Sunday and despite some very testing conditions and very tricky pin positions it was Ainee who came out on top with a two stroke victory.


Mixed Fourball Betterball

It was a photo finish in the Mixed Fourball Betterball as Rachael Martin & Michael Lawrence pipped Amanda & Dave Spooner on countback both having shot 42pts. Lyn Baimbridge & Richard Jones took third place again on countback, with 39pts.


Alf Padgham Trophy

Two wins in less than a month certainly means Ian Humphries is on top form as on Sunday he took Division One and the Alf Padgham Trophy played on the West course with a nett 67, this despite a bogey down the last. It was close though as Jon Bromley matched Ian's score, but was just pipped on countback. Darren Moseley was third on countback from James Allen both having shot nett 68's. 

In Division Two it was Darren Ellis who came out on top with a nett 67 from John Mack who shot a nett 68 to take the runner-up spot. Brian Hassett was third with a nett 69 and John Sloan took 4th place on countback with a nett 70.


 

Rocco Forte Open

The European Tour travels to Sicily this week for the inaugural Rocco Forte Open at Verdura GC. Matteo Manassero and Edoardo Molinari carry Italian hopes.

The Rocco Forte Open will be contested at Verdura GC on Sicily this week. It's the first time the tournament has been held but not the first time the European Tour has been to Verdura. It was the venue for the Sicilian Open of 2012, won by Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen.

The players will face a composite course at Verdura this week that is made up of nine holes from each of the two Kyle Phillips designed tracks at the resort. 

Phillips has been responsible for the design of some of the best new courses around the world in recent years, including Kingsbarns on the Fife coast. The layouts at Verdura have earned a reputation for their quality and magnificent setting. The last six holes of the composite course will be played along the stunning Mediterranean coast. 

Italian players Matteo Manassero, Edoardo Molinari and Renato Paratore will be among the favourites and some good names appear on the start sheet. Sweden's Robert Karlsson tees it up, so too do Li Haotong, Thomas Bjorn and former Masters champions Trevor Immelman and Mike Weir. 

Last week's winner Matt Wallace will be looking to maintain his good run of form. 

Player watch: 

James Morrison - The Englishman has been playing consistently this year, making the cut in all but one tournament he's entered. If he can string four good rounds together he'll contend. In recent events he's thrown a couple of bad ones into the mix. 

Raphael Jacquelin - He showed signs of a return to form with four good rounds in his last start in the Volvo China Open. He won the Sicilian Open of 2011, albeit on a different course, so should have good memories of Sicily. 

Jordan Smith - He missed the cut in the Volvo China Open but had been playing well before that with three straight top-20 finishes. He's currently 32nd on the Race to Dubai and has twice been a winner on the Challenge Tour in the past. It could be time for Smith to step up and win on the main circuit.

Click here to keep an eye on this week's leaderboard.