Owen-George Trophy

The Owen-George Club Championship started on Thursday with two box groups of 3 playing one 8 game set. In the first group Rob Stewart proved too strong for Andrew Hamilton (8/4) but had a superb battle against John Miller. At 7/7 Miller was 40-15 up but lost serve. Rob managed to return a tricky bounce back off the penthouse to hug the wall at the hazard end which Miller, the Spanish Archer, fluffed. Good serving thereafter took the initiative away from Miller, dashing his hopes of a place in the quarter-finals. The Hamilton Miller clash was a short meaningless affair as Stewart had gone through. In the other box Alaister Orchard was a no show but Alan Moug and Will Todd had an epic tussle which was narrowly won by the latter.

In the quarters Todd continued his run of form against an out of sorts, A level encumbered Vaughan Hamilton, winning comfortably 6/4, 6/2. Philip Shaw-Hamilton nursing an injured shoulder was happy to receive a walk over from Rob Stewart but age and infirmity were of no help in his semi-final against Tom Bomford who cruised to a 6/0 first set win. Determined not to go down 6/0 again, the old war horse overcame the pain and put up dogged resistance in the second set to achieve a satisfactory 3 games. Patrick Sutton was in fine form against Will Todd easing through to the final with a 6/3, 6/1 victory.

The final was a superb spectacle. Few would have guessed that there was a handicap differential of 8 as Sutton matched Tom shot for shot for much of the match although Tom was able to go up the gears when necessary. There were plenty of exciting rallies with excellent retrieving by both players. Tom won the first set 6/4 but in the second, Patrick pressurised Tom to 5/5 but superior fitness and accuracy of shot guaranteed Tom the final game and the Owen-George trophy. As ever he did so without a flicker of emotion and not a bead of sweat!