Play-off heartbreak for Kirwan in finale

Kirwan started the day in third, two shots off the lead and, after a round which included ten birdies and one bogey, he put himself in contention for his second win of the season.

Francis McGuirk (Princes Golf Club) birdied his last two holes to force a second play-off against Kirwan, with the two having already contested a five-man play-off at The Warwickshire earlier in the season.

This time around, both birdied the first extra hole and when Kirwan saw a 50-inch birdie putt fall just short on the next hole, McGuirk took advantage to clinch victory.

Kirwan did have the consoltaion of finishing fourth in the Order of Merit in his first season as a professional.

Colin Lewis struck the ball beautifully on Sunday to win Leamington & County’s Warwick Vase by a comfortable margin.

Lewis, who plays off 11, produced a gross score of 76 which resulted in an impressive 65 nett.

Peter Goldson (80-11-69), Tim Hoyle (81-12-69), Dan Bartley (77-8-69) and Bob Goldsborough (85-15-70) were also among the prizes.

In-form Bill Evans went round in a one-over-par 73 to take the best gross prize by two shots from Simon Atkin (75).

Kenilworth GC: Ladies’ Stableford and Seniors’ Cup: Division One: 1, Alison Seymour Mead (42pts); 2, Val Cushing (37pts). Division Two: 1, Catherine Midgley (39pts); 2, Rosemarie Hannam (36pts). Division Three: Christine Price (33pts on countback); 2, Vivienne Evans (33pts). Seniors’ Cup: Catherine Midgley.

Autumn Open (better-ball stableford): 1, Yvonne Sutcliffe and Rebecca Smith (The Warwickshire) 41pts; 2, Meg Lewis (Kenilworth) and Elaine Kendall (Coventry Hearsall) 40pts; 3, Paula Bergewell and Rachel Rusted (Nuneaton) 39pts on countback.

Best front 9: Anne Hastings (Kenilworth) and Judy Walters (Coventry). Best back 9: Liz Brown (Kenilworth) and Breda Sutton (Stratford).

Dave Panther and Alan Shaw produced a great team performance to win Coventry’s Senior Pairs’ Open.

The duo, from the host club, scored 43 better-ball points off three-quarter handicaps to emerge victorious from a field of 86 pairs from across the Midlands.

The popularity of the competition will see Coventry introduce a third seniors’ event next year.

Result: 1, Dave Panther & Alan Shaw (Coventry) 43pts; 2, John Dallow (Coventry) & Barry Petricca (Whittington Heath) 41pts; 3, Alan Badger & Nigel Spearing (Leamington County) 41pts; 4, Dennis Pick & David Newman (Olton) 41pts; 5, John Lee & Stephen Goldstein (Shirley) 40pts.

Autumn Stableford: 1, M Andrews (40pts); 2, A Stone (40pts); 3, GJ Lindsay (40pts).