COWDRAY Park Golf Club travelled to meet Royal Eastbourne in the second round of the prestigious Cyril Blake competition and finally emerged triumphant after a sudden-death play-off.

The two Daves, Balfour and Hirons, teed off first and battled to a 2&1 win, but Alan Gormley and Sean Gallagher went down 3&2. Dave Lucking and Harvey Terry regained the lead, winning 3&2, only for the home side to level things up in the final match with an emphatic 5&4 victory.

Cowdray nominated Balfour and Hirons for the play-off. They missed a chance on the first extra hole, but made no mistake on the second and sent their side into the third round – and hopefully a home draw.

Cowdray Park Seniors recorded their first away win of the season, defeating Liphook 4-3. The Liphook course was in superb condition and the greens were the slickest Cowdray will face all season.

Results (Liphook named first): Graeme Fairley & Jeremy Richards lost to Dave Lucking & Nick Austin 2&1; Anthony Collett & Chris Rowe lost to Chris Hutchings & Ken Marjoram 3&1; Bryan Smith & Jonny Talbot beat Brian Carpenter & Allen Sibley 2up; Henry Jones & Dennis Geal lost to Mick King & John Newman 1down; Peter MacFarlane & Jeff Rawlins beat Tony Pike & Rob Doney 4&3; Gordon Musk & Simon Sheppard lost to Sam Howes & Bill Birnie 2&1; Robert Duncan & Robin Rickman beat Colin Tebbutt & Alistair Proctor 5&4.

Mark Kelly and Peter Hallt won Cowdray Seniors’ Podmore Salver (greensomes stableford) with an excellent 43 points.

The next four pairs all scored 41 points. Placings on count-back: 2nd, Brian Brockhurst & Phil Morris; 3rd, Mick Fillary & David Tilley; 4th, Peter Laws & Ken Marjoram; 5th, Frank Cheevers & Harvey Terry.