LAUNCESTON beat Truro 3.5-1.5 to win the Cornwall Bowl at St Enodoc Golf Club on Sunday.

St Enodoc also played host to the Frank Wills Salver between The Point at Polzeath and Perranporth, which was won by The Point, and the Cornwall Bowl, with Launceston looking to go one better than last year when they lost in the Bowl final to Whitsand Bay.

Launceston team captain Paul Hicks, in his new role as caddie, went out for the 18-hole final with the first pair of Noel Gorman and Peter Penhorwood, who by their own admission quickly found themselves being out hit by a long-hitting Truro pairing. But the guys stuck with them as being light off the tee at St Enodoc is not always an advantage.

The weather was sunny and windy except for one very severe shower of hail and rain when these pairings were getting towards the end of their game, and Gorman and Penhorwood eventually held off their opponents to win on the 18th hole.

In the second match, Joe Dickinson and Chris James went three holes down in the middle of the round but clawed their way back to be level after 15. Their opponents then made a two on the long par three, 17th hole to go one ahead and that was the way the match finished to make it all square at 1-1.

Launceston’s Dan Sloman and Darren Chapman then put the North Cornwall side back in front by thrashing their opponents 5 and 3.

The match now stood at 2-1 to Launceston with the last match, Ashley Rowland and Steve Greenaway one down after 16 holes and Derek Basford and Ernie Best going up the 18th hole level in the third match.

Although the scoring on the last hole in the third match wasn’t great, Best holed a short putt to beat the Truro pair by the one shot that mattered and therefore win by one hole to give Launceston the three points needed to secure the win. With the game now effectively over, Rowland and Greenaway took a half in their game to leave Launceston the 2019/20 Cornwall Bowl champions.

Launceston secretary Alan Creber said: “I have to pay tribute and express thanks to lots of people here; to the players and supporters and caddies of both teams who give up their time to come along, our support this year has been fantastic. The course was in great condition after the recent horrendous weather making our two inland courses quite jealous of their free draining soil. The food and hospitality shown by the host club was excellent as was the organisation by the county officials, Chris Pountney (county secretary) and Andy Clotworthy (starter and county vice-president).

“It was a great day for Launceston and a fantastic end to Paul Hicks’ year as captain.”