Golfers brave the Yorkshire winds

High winds made for a challenging day’s golf in the third heat of the 2008 BMJ Golf Classic – but given that the rain had been hammering down the previous night, most people were simply glad not to have got a soaking.

This was the northern heat, of the merchant industry’s top golfing tournament, held at Fulford near York on Thursday June 19. The winning team , with 102 points, was David Jackson of Marshalls, Terry Brown of Jewson, Paul Bullock of Travis Perkins and Mark Chitryn of Travis Perkins.

Second placed team was Eric Green (Marshalls), Roy Johnsons (James Burrell), Adam Harper (Thorncliffe Building Supplies) and Russell Safhill (AW Lumb).

Third place went to Bill Worsfold (BASF Feb), Bill Acton (MKM), Tony Harrison (Harrison Jewitt) and John Cameron (John Cameron BM).

All three teams will go forward to the final at Le Touquet on Friday September 19.

The award for the best performance by a sponsor went to Eric Green of Marshalls (32 points) and the highest individual score by a player not in one of the winnings teams was 33 points, which won an award and a place at the final for Steven Neary of Firwood Timber & Building Supplies.

David Jackson, sponsor in the winning team, told buildersmerchantsjournal.net that his team were surprised, and delighted, to win through, so tough were the windy conditions. “We were the first team out and the first team back in and we told ourselves that at least we would be first at something even if we didn’t win. We felt that with 102 points we would come close but not be quite good enough. But we came in as clubhouse leaders and stayed there.” He pointed out that most individual scores were around the 22 to 25 point mark, far lower than might have been expected on an easier day. “The fact that we won with only 102 points shows what a tough round it was for all the players.”

Main sponsors for this round of the tournament were Marshalls and BASF Feb, with additional sponsorship from Castle Cement, Polypipe, Catnic and Hanson.