KANGAROO CUP Pairs Championship
Berkshire 2016
BERKSHIRE - 12th SEPTEMBER 2016
For Billy Field the September Kangaroo Cup started like many before as he awoke from his standard dream of standing over an 8’ birdie putt on the 18th green at Augusta National to shoot a 78 – a few less than reality. His eyes focus on the clock – 7.19am. F***, F*** Double F***! Trouble was he wasn’t 10 minutes from the Berkshire living in Bracknell as he had for the last 25 years – he was over 2 hours’ away at his new home in Dover.
It was the 26th holding of the Kangaroo Cup, the 10th event at The Berkshire with a good support of 24 players with 3 new faces – Robin Allum, Ben Baldwin and Ed Kelly. Sadly Peter Walton was too unwell to defend his Berkshire title with Paul Taberer, but I am pleased to report Peter is out of hospital and slowly recovering his strength.
As they have done in the past, Hedges & Taylor started strongly while racing ahead in the buggy with 36 points on the front 9 with two 6 points on the 5th and 9th. Past title holders were queuing up behind them with Berry & Pimbley and Jackson & Naylor on 31 points. Hedges & Taylor stumbled slightly on the back 9 and only scored a single point on the 18th to lead at lunch with 64 points – 4 clear of Berry & Pimbley and new pairing Allum & Lumley. Ed Kelly won the morning closest to 18th pin hitting his tee shot to within 8’, sinking his birdie putt for the best of the back 9 of 32 points with partner Paul Taberer which included a 7 pointer on the 14th Par 4.
In the afternoon Robin Allum took the afternoon closest to the pin on the 1st hole sinking his birdie putt then followed that up with birdies on the 3rd and the 4th to be out in 33 points. Hedges & Taylor continued their strong play from the morning, helped by 7 points on the Par 5 - 6th hole. The steady pairing of Jackson & Naylor also banked 7 points on the 6th hole to turn with 35 points. Berryman & Field had the only other 7 pointer in the afternoon on the Blue 16th for a round of 61 points. Hopefully next event Billy won’t make the mistake of setting his alarm for 4.40PM instead AM!
Hedges & Taylor scored 33 points to the turn when Taylor received some upsetting news from his sister in NZ on the 10th tee that his father had fallen seriously ill, which understandably affected his golf for the rest of day finishing tied 3rd on 118 points. I am sad to report Taylor’s father passed away a week later.
New pairing Kelly & Taberer who were playing with Jackson & Naylor in the afternoon round sensed they were in with a chance when Kelly went 2 under through holes 10 to 13. Jackson & Naylor dropped another shot on the 15th and only scored a single point on the 18th to finish with 26 points on the back for 61 points equal best of the afternoon with the teams of Bonallack & Baldwin, Kelly & Taberer and Berryman & Field.
Jackson & Naylor’s total of 120 points was good enough to take their 3rd Kangaroo Cup title one point ahead of Kelly & Taberer on 119 with Hedges & Taylor tied 3rd place with Allum & Lumley on 118.
