Lucky for some as Leeds & District golfers end long wait for Yorkshire Inter-District Union title

LEEDS & District Golf Union's senior side ended a 13-year wait to win a Yorkshire Inter-District Union trophy as they swept to a 10-shot victory in the team championship at Wakefield.
By Chris Stratford
Published 18th Sep 2023, 12:00 BST

Captained by Pontefract & District's Daz Walton, they were the only union to finish under par in an event that saw the best five scores counting in the morning and afternoon from a side of six. They produced a seven-under-par aggregate.

Leeds were led to their triumph by home player George Heath, who went round in 69 in the morning and 70 after lunch for a five-under-par total to claim the Leeds & District Union Trophy for the best individual 36-hole tally.In the morning, the host union's Jake Wallis and Sam Claypole both carded 68, and the eventual champions might have been out of sight by then but for Jonathan Fisher-Ulliott's best-of-the-day 67 for East Riding, that was complemented by 69 and 70 from Aaron Brettell and former tour player Steve Uzzell respectively.

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However, Halifax-Huddersfield would haul themselves above East Riding into second spot with the best afternoon aggregate of 358 thanks to their top performers, captain Adam Walker (Huddersfield) and teenager Habib Khan (Willow Valley), both finishing on two-under par 142.

Wakefield's George Heath, winner of the trophy for the best 36-hole aggregate, with, l-r, Simon Lax, Leeds Union's president, Laurence Wood, Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs' president, and Barry Brindley, Wakefield captain. (Picture: Chris Stratford)Wakefield's George Heath, winner of the trophy for the best 36-hole aggregate, with, l-r, Simon Lax, Leeds Union's president, Laurence Wood, Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs' president, and Barry Brindley, Wakefield captain. (Picture: Chris Stratford)
Wakefield's George Heath, winner of the trophy for the best 36-hole aggregate, with, l-r, Simon Lax, Leeds Union's president, Laurence Wood, Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs' president, and Barry Brindley, Wakefield captain. (Picture: Chris Stratford)

Heath was abled supported by his clubmate Andy Stringer (73, 73), Darrington's Claypole (68, 75), Garforth's Wallis (68, 72), Moor Allerton's Saul Guilford (74, 75) and Cookridge's Bailey Hird (73, 72).

An indication of Leeds's supremacy was that the two scores they discarded were 74 and 75, compared to runners-up Halifax-Huddersfield's pair of 79s.

Pontefract & District's Daz Walton, who received the Team Championship Plate as captain of Leeds, said: “Firstly, I'd like to thank Wakefield Golf Club for hosting us. The head greenkeeper and his team, as we've all said, the course was in fantastic condition.

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“Thanks to the executive for giving me the opportunity to captain these great set of lads. They're all fantastic golfers. It's been 13 years since Leeds have actually won anything in this, which is a long time, but I'm chuffed to bits for everybody.”

He concluded: “Congratulations to Andy (Lockwood, captain of East Riding) and his team in winning the league. That's my next goal, so be ready. I look forward to our battles commencing again in May of next year.”

Leeds's first win of the championship since 2010 at Doncaster was their 14th in total since the competition began in 1974 at Sand Moor.

Related topics:LeedsWakefieldPontefract