Yorkshire golf: Harrogate quartet prevail by nine shots to win First Division title at Bedale

HARROGATE A overcame blustery conditions at Bedale to win Harrogate Union's First Division Team Championship.
Harrogate A, winners of Harrogate Union's First Division Team Championship, l to r: Joe Buckley, David Keywood, James Rathbone and Jack Ward.Harrogate A, winners of Harrogate Union's First Division Team Championship, l to r: Joe Buckley, David Keywood, James Rathbone and Jack Ward.
Harrogate A, winners of Harrogate Union's First Division Team Championship, l to r: Joe Buckley, David Keywood, James Rathbone and Jack Ward.

All four of their team members compiled scores below 80, James Rathbone their best performer with 74, followed by Joe Buckley, 75, David Keywood, 77, and Jack Ward, 79.

Rathbone was narrowly beaten for the individual prize by John McNamara, from Rudding Park, but it took a back-three count back to separate them.

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Twenty two teams competed and Knaresborough had the best results of the B teams with a total of 317, Jason Taylor leading the way for them with a 75.

However, they were swiftly overtaken by Bedale A, who finished three shots lower with father and son, Simon and James Gaskell, carding their best scores of 76 and 77 respectively.

Harrogate, Ilkley and Pannal players were in the final groups and it always seemed likely the winning score would come from one of these three.

However, Ilkley were unable to figure while Pannal's young team came a respectable fifth.

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Harrogate ultimately proved convincing winners, clinching the title by nine strokes.

Leading scores: 305 Harrogate A (J Buckley 75, J Rathbone 74, D Keywood 77, J Ward 79); 314 Bedale A (J Gaskell 77, S Gaskell 76, J Webster 81, K Rayner 80); 317 Knaresborough B, Otley B.

Ben Rhydding hosted the 59th Bradford District Rabbits Golf Association (BDRGA) Nine-hole Club Team Championship, in which the best three rounds from a team of four counted.

Bradford Moor won for the second time in three years, beating Rawdon into second place by 12 shots.

No host club has won the event since Rawdon triumphed in 2008, which followed Ben Rhydding winning on their home track the year before.