Horne Park’s George Groves went one better in this year’s Disability Open at Stoke by Nayland, beating Duncan Hamilton-Martin, from Weybridge’s St George’s Hill by a shot.
Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

WORLD No.1 George Groves claimed his first title on home soil when he beat a strong international field in blustery but dry conditions in the 2019 English Disability Open staged over Stoke by Nayland’s Gainsborough course.

Groves, from Surrey’s Horne Park Golf Club, carded rounds of 77 and 74 to claim a five-shot victory over veteran competitor Duncan Hamilton-Martin, from Weybridge’s St George’s Hill.

Groves’ rival finished on seven-over par with Woking’s Ami Bullock taking third place a further four shots behind to make it a one-two-three for Surrey with Oxfordshire’s Andrew Gardiner, from Kirtlington GC, a further shot back in fourth.

The victory made up for the disappointment of being pipped to the title 12 months ago by Beardsall Priory’s Michael Horsley at The Warwickshire.

And it should also earn Groves a place in the field for the disability event being run in tandem with the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, in November.

“It was great to get my first English title under the belt,” said new champion Groves. “There’s a lot of competition out there for my World No. 1 slot and hopefully this is enough to secure my place to Dubai.

“I really loved the course and the competitors here at Stoke by Nayland and am really happy with the result.”

The English Disability Open, which was part of the England Golf championships calendar for the first time, was open to players who are eligible for the World Rankings for Golfers with a disability (WR4GD).

It attracted 42 male and female competitors from across Britain, France and The Netherlands, including new players Ellie Perks, from Worcestershire’s Hagley GC, and Cheshire’s George Blackshaw, from Delamere Forest GC.

During the competition there were other winners for the nett and Stableford categories

The Shropshire’s Tony Lloyd finished on one-under par to win the handicap prize for players off 20 or less after carding a nett total of 143.

In the Stableford competition for players off more than 20, Llanwern’s Kevin Cook recorded rounds of 34 and 29 points to win the title by two points with his total of 63 points.

The presentations were made by John Williams, past president of England Golf, and Susanna Rendall, director of Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa.

England Golf’s inclusion manager Jamie Blair said: “This event truly shows that golf and the handicap system focusses on your ability as a golfer and not your disability.

“Stoke by Nayland have been fantastic hosts and I would like to say thank you to the management, staff, members and volunteers who have embraced this event, creating a welcoming environment for players new and experienced and making it a huge success.

“I would also like to say thank you to our referees and to the R&A for their support.

“Without them, we would not be able to run a championship that showcases the game at the highest level of competition for golfers with a disability in England.”

For full scores click here.

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Surrey golfer Clive Edgington from St George’s Hill, in Weybridge, will drive-in as the new R&A captain in September.

THE Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has announced that 67-year-old Clive Edgington, a member at Surrey’s St George’s Hill, will serve as Captain in 2019/20.

Mr Edgington has been nominated by the past captains of the club and will begin his year in office with the traditional driving-in ceremony on the first tee of the Old Course, on Friday, September 20.

Born in Walton-on-Thames, Mr Edgington was educated at Malvern College and Oxford University, graduating in 1973 with a degree in law and a Blue for golf.

After a successful business career in the City of London, latterly as chief executive and then chairman of Tindall Riley – a specialist insurance management company – he retired in 2014.

He has since been a non-executive director and now consultant to the Medical Defence Union.

Mr Edginton became a member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1997.

He served on the Rules of Golf committee from 2000-04 and was its deputy chairman from 2002-4 when he also sat on the ioint rules committee with the USGA.

He was chairman of the amateur status committee from 2007-11 during which time The R&A and the USGA produced the first unified amateur status code.

Clive was elected to the R&A’s general committee in 2014 and became its chairman and of the R&A’s principal companies from September 2015 until September 2018.

Mr Edginton became at member at St George’s Hill in Weybridge, at the age of eight. He has served St George’s Hill as committee member, captain, director and trustee.

He has been club champion on four occasions and is a nine-time winner of the club’s scratch Gold Medal.

At various times he has also been captain of the South Eastern Junior Golfing Society, the Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society, the Moles Golfing Society and the Old Malvernian Golfing Society, for whom he played more than 100 matches in the Halford Hewitt.

Mr Edginton currently plays to a handicap of eight.  He is married to Debbie, who is a member of both St George’s Hill and The St Rule Club.

They have two children – Robert and Claire – as well as two grandchildren, and will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary in July.

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