Russell and Law win Mixed Centenary Challenge at Mannings Heath

With nine pars and two birdies on their better-ball card their 43 points put them four clear of Richard Lotinga and Julia Hoskins while Mark and Sienna Crouch pipped Bill and Emma Francis on countback after both pairs signed for 38.

Better-ball pairs was also the format for the ladies' competition where Emma Francis and Debs Battle came home with 37 to take the Ewen Me Jug. Francis, playing off four, contributed ten pars and a birdie while an opening par and some valuable bogeys from Battle secured the win.

Trish Robson and Rosemary Martin were runners-up on countback with 34, their 20 point back nine proving just too strong for Meriel Jolley and Julia Hoskins.

The nine-hole stableford on Kingfisher saw another first-time winner with Tony Nash, off six, posting four pars and a birdie for an excellent 21 points. Steve Wright was only a point behind with a one-under-par gross score that included three birdies, one of them on the 484 yard second where his second shot found the cup on the adjacent sixth! Neville Dudeney pipped Paul Treanor on countback to take third place with 19.

With evenings drawing in there are only two weeks left to decide Heath's midweek order of merit stakes. Paul Gardner still leads but there are several contenders who could yet overtake him.