Sheffield Union seniors retained the Yorkshire Inter District Team Championship at Bradley Hall yesterday.

 

It was touch and go throughout the 36 hole event with Sheffield finally beating Halifax & Huddersfield on the countback winning thanks to a better afternoon aggregate – 444 to 446 – after the teams tied on 894.

 

 

The win completed a Yorkshire Inter-District Union League double coming hot on the heels of last weekend's league success making it the second year running Sheffield has completed the double.

 

Sheffield's six man team comprised Ben Brewster ,Neil Stones, Jamie Harrison, Lewis Hollingworth, Nick Poppleton and Matt Evans, with Richard Hodgkinson as reserve.

 

 

"Another week, another trophy... though Sheffield's victory in the Inter District Team Championship was anything but routine at Halifax Bradley Hall on Sunday.

 

The margin could not have been closer. Sheffield edged out Halifax-Huddersfield by virtue of a better second round total (444 to 446), having tied with the hosts on a two round aggregate of 894. Bradford, who led at half way, came in third only a shot behind, with York fourth, just one further adrift. Even fifth placed Leeds were in contention throughout the day, totalling 898, just four shots behind after twelve individual rounds of golf were counted.

 

Into this context should be placed Matt Evans's finish, birdying two of the last three holes to swing the closest Team Championship for many years in Sheffield's favour. Although he narrowly failed to retain the best individual trophy he had won at Bingley St Ives last year, Sheffield's anchor man had the ample compensation of doing just enough to bring home the biggest prize.

 

"He's there for a reason, " said Sheffield Captain Neil Stones. "He's just a class player. You never doubt he's going to produce the goods, but he keeps finding different ways to make the rest of us marvel at him."

 

Stones, who had stepped into the side following Alex Fitzpatrick's withdrawal, posted creditable rounds of 71 and 74, before enduring the tensest of finishes as the rest of his team set about closing the six shot deficit after the morning round. Ben Brewster led the way with a solid 72, and with Jamie Harrison, Lewis Hollingworth and Nick Poppleton all improving on their morning efforts, the team had set the stage for Evans to produce another moment of magic.

 

"Matt may have finished the job in style, but the way everyone else dug in during the afternoon was really the key," said Stones. "It's an unforgiving format, with all scores to count, and it's never going to be the case that everyone is on top of their game. They're all heroes in my eyes."

 

Not just heroes, but record breakers too - this was Sheffield's fifth consecutive win in Inter District golf's blue riband event, overtaking the mark set by Teesside between 1988-91. It marked a league and team championship double for Stones in his debut year as captain, and with five league titles in the last six seasons, Sheffield golf is enjoying a period of unprecedented success. With a battalion of young talent coming through as well, the captain has the tools at his disposal to prolong the run when the 2017 season comes around.

 

"There's plenty to look forward to," said Stones, "and that includes the Annual Dinner. We've done the business on the course, and, trust me, we're not bad at celebrating either. It should be quite a night!"