GOLF: Whitewash sees The Oxfordshire claim debut title (From Oxford Mail)

GOLF: Whitewash sees The Oxfordshire claim debut title

9:50am Thursday 1st November 2012 in Golf By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458

THE Oxfordshire won the Shaw Gibbs Oxfordshire Foursomes League title for the first time with a 3-0 whitewash of Ellesborough away from home.

Star player Craig Hinton made only his second appearance of the year and his efforts helped lift them above Frilford Heath to the top of Section 1.

The club only just survived relegation last season and captain Andy Stubbs was thrilled to finish top of the pile.

He said: “Winning it for the first time as a club makes it a bit special and means a lot to everyone who played this year.

“We’ve had a very good team, led by Craig Hinton, with some young guys like my playing partner George Abbott and Jordan Garnish.

“Ellesborough were undefeated at home, so we were conscious it wouldn’t be an easy task – we won all the matches, but none were comfortable.”

Oxford City will play in the top flight next year after winning Section 2, thanks to a draw against Studley Wood.

SHAW GIBBS OXFORDSHIRE FOURSOMES LEAGUE

Section 1

Chipping Norton 2 (3pts), Burford 1 (1) (C Norton first): S Kench & W Preece bt D Summers & S Hopkins 1 hole; C Denton & G Kay lost to A Salter & M Potts 1 hole; C Heslip & M Johnson bt A Barnett & A Purdy 5 & 4.

Buckingham 1 (1), Drayton Park 2 (3) (Buckingham first): B Baxter & G Davidson lost to A Elmey & D Morton 2 & 1; B Oliver & S Clarke bt M Roberts & G Shirley 2 & 1; J Wyatt & R Youden lost to N Elmey & H Wilkinson 3 & 2.

Ellesborough 0 (0), The Oxfordshire 3 (4) M Shimmin & Alex Stubbs won 1 hole; C Hinton & J Garnish won 3 & 2; G Abbott & Andy Stubbs won 2 & 1.

Section 2

Studley Wood 1½ (2), Oxford City 1½ (2) (Studley Wood first): N Lawton & S Bulman bt A Higgins & R Chivers 2 & 1; J Axford & N Pettit lost to M Hall & P Higgins 5 & 4; J McClure & G Stevens halved with C Marriott & G Holt.

Tadmarton Heath 2 (3), Chiltern Forest 1 (1) (Tadmarton first): I Manning & L Robinson bt J Taylor & T Smith 2 & 1; S Hallam & J Boulton bt P Mardon & J Challoner 8 & 7; G Sambrook & O King lost to D Willcox & D Cobley 2 holes.

Bicester 2 (3), Magnolia Park 1 (1) (Bicester first): J Davies & W Dobbins bt M Jefferson & M Cunningham 2 holes; T Jennings & J Reese bt C Stones & J Gardiner 5 & 4; D Scourfield & A McKeran lost to C Lawrence & J Shell 1 hole.

Section 3

North Oxford 2½ (3½), Carswell ½ (½) (N Oxford first): Shaun Smith & Steve Smith halved with L Murby & L Carroll; D Willoughby & R Nicholson bt M Keylock & M Lock 6 & 5; S Kendall & S Newstead bt T Smith & M Simpkins 2 & 1.

Feldon Valley 3 (4), Waterstock 0 (0) (Feldon Valley first): M Abbotts & W McCoombes bt H Gallacher & S Cowling 6 & 5: J Rose & N Suckling bt S Jackson & G Lillie 6 & 4; A Bailey & R Browne bt S Devlin & D Gascoyne 7 & 6.

Shrivenham Park 2 (3), Badgemore Park 1 (1) (Shrivenham Park first): T Gristwood & S Plumb bt B Hajden & D Fois 5 & 4; S Tanner & S Fernandes halved with M Hawkins & S Yearson; D Hawkins & M Davis halved with D Haddock & K Dempster.