Ricky Curtis booked his place in the Team GB squad for next year’s Maccabiah Games in Israel after winning the National Scratch Competition in Birmingham.
Curtis, of Abridge Golf Club, held off the challenge of a high-class field and was crowned as the champion Jewish male golfer in a tournament co-hosted by Maccabi GB and the Association of Jewish Golf Clubs & Societies.
The event at the Forest of Arden Hotel featured 28 golfers competing for the major prize. The course was still feeling the effects of the wet summer and played its full-length making the level par round of 72 by Joel Field of Sandy Lodge even more impressive. Fine rounds of 74 from Richard Merritt of Royal Wimbledon and 75 by Curtis ensured a competitive overnight leaderboard.
Conditions improved on day two as the three overnight leaders went off last and Curtis and Field fought a close battle. Field was unable to capture the form of the previous day, returning a score of 76 whilst Curtis went round in par to secure a one-shot victory with an aggregate score of 147 to lift the Donald Forster Trophy.
Mark Gershinson and Mark Charles, both of Hartsbourne, shot fine rounds of 74 and 75 respectively.
It was a win double for Abridge as Laurence Green won the Masters competition with rounds of 76 and 82 to ensure a comfortable margin of victory.
The facilities at the hotel were first class and whilst golf is of course the purpose of the event the degree of friendship amongst the competitors was delightful and all those attending were unanimous in their support of the new format and look to spread the word to enhance numbers for future years.
A number of the participants have also applied to take part in the Maccabiah Games next year, so the competition also gave the Maccabi Golf committee the opportunity to assess players before they select their teams in the coming weeks. There are still opportunities for places in all the categories so any last minute registrations at www.maccabigb.org will still be accepted.
Tournament co-organiser David Harris said: "Maccabi GB and The Association were extremely pleased with the whole weekend.
"This is the first time we have co-hosted an event and hope that the collaboration can be built upon to enhance the promotion of Jewish Golf in the UK."
2012 National Scratch Results
Scratch: Overall
Winner: Ricky Curtis (Abridge) 147
Runner-up: Joel Field (Sandy Lodge) 148
3rd: Mark Gershinson (Hartsbourne) 154
Scratch First Round
Winner: Joel Field (Sandy Lodge) 72
Scratch Second Round
Winner: Ricky Curtis (Abridge) 72
Masters
Winner: Laurence Green (Abridge) 158
Runner-up: Ian Brill (Moor Allerton) 168
Open Competition Standard Scratch:
Round 1 – Sunday 02/09/2012: 75
Round 2 – Monday 03/09/2012: 75
Masters Competition Standard Scratch:
Round 1 – Sunday 02/09/2012: 73
Round 2 – Monday 03/09/2012: 74 R/O
