Houghton leaves Avenue’s finals day with an armful of winners’ trophies

Avenue novices champion Barry Connolly with five-time trophy winner Lyn Houghton and mens handicap victor Peter Hooper. Picture submitted

In the ladies’ two wood she beat Terry Taylor 14-13, while in the ladies’ championship she withstood a spirited fightback from Margaret Lawson to win 21-15.

Houghton had been seven shots up after ten ends, but Lawson closed to within two shots before Houghton pulled away in the closing stages.

Houghton partnered Wendy Davies to a convincing 24-7 win over Terry Taylor and Yvonne Pick in the ladies’ pairs and she again come up against Taylor in the ladies’handicap, defeating her 21-10.

Her winning streak continued in the mixed pairs, with Bill Port partnering her to a 24-7 success over Lawson and John Hughes.

Club president Peter Hooper was a convincing winner of the men’s handicap.

After ten ends he held a slender three-shot lead over Adam Smith, which he extended to 18-8 at the close.

The men’s novices’ final saw a tight encounter between club coaches Ron Walton and Barry Connolly.

Connolly led 10-7 after ten ends but saw his advantage reduced to a shot after 16 ends. However, he won three of the remaining ends to claim a 21-17 success.

The men’s championship was contested by former champion Andy Smith and Matt Wordingham, with Wordingham pulling away in the closing stages to win 21-16, while Bill Port partnered Luke Edwards to a convincing 26-13 victory over Nicky Walker and Mark Smith in the men’s pairs.

England under-25 international Kirsty Richards was a convincing winner of the singles competition at the 69th Ladies’ Leamington Open at Victoria Park.

The Bournville bowler beat Rugby Town’s Pat Bax 21-12 in the final.

Bax had the consolation of the pairs’ title after teaming up with Di Medhurst (Stoke) to beat Lillington’s Sue Hornsby and Brenda Carlton (Three Spires).

The mixed pairs was decided on the last end with John Bale securing a 27-24 victory for himself and Wolvey team-mate Trish Jarvis against Lillington duo Elizabeth Crowther and Dennis Lee.

County president Maureen Edwards, fresh from her singles triumph in Weston-Super-Mare, contested the Mixed Triples Good Companions Cup alongside Yvonne Bromfield and Bill Simpson (Rugby Thornfield). However, she had to settle for a runners-up spot this time as Sue Hornsby, Brenda Carlton and Keith Hornsby won an evenly balanced final 18-13.