Wallbridge well on way to single figure

NIKKI WALLBRIDGE is well on the way to achieving her ambition of becoming a single-figure handicap. It has certainly been a good season for La Grande Mare's lowest handicap, who began it playing off 15 and ended it on 11 and claiming the Rabey's Trophy medal.

In between she won the club championship and became the first female winner of the Charity Classic.

Wallbridge was pushed hard to take the Rabey's Trophy, her 66 being matched by another improving player, Louise Loveridge, and captain Glenis Seal.

After completing the front nine in 44 gross, Wallbridge really shone on the back half, returning a gross 33 to clinch the trophy on countback.

Having parred the 10th, she completed a birdie two at the short 11th with a nearest-to-the-pin winning effort of 3ft 5in.

Her confidence bolstered by that, she proceeded to drive the green on the par four 257-yard 12th to set up another birdie.

Two more followed at 16 and 17 and she completed the round with a bogey six at the long par five.

Loveridge was out in 46 gross and back in 44.

Her one par came on the first, but she can also be pleased with the fact that she single-bogeyed nine holes.

Seal's 66 off a 29 handicap included pars at the fifth, 12th and 16th holes.

Loveridge has to collect one trophy, albeit in partnership with Carol Duncan.

The pair won the Stableford for the Worktown Trophy, a popular event in which a low handicapper is drawn to play alongside a high-handicapped player.

The winners dovetailed perfectly.

When one parred the hole, the other would invariably birdie it.

When one bogeyed a hole the other would par it, hence their very high score of 53 points.

They finished eight clear of runners-up Jean Mills and Angela Brook, with Bonnie Evans and Jacqui Holt third on 44.

Meanwhile, the Mateus Rose Stableford honours went to Fe Robin with 45 points, two clear of Geraldine Crispini and three ahead of Kathy Bent.