The winner was 21-year-old Darren Mustchin playing off a handicap of four. His winning score was a level-par 140.

The result was in doubt until the last green. Mustchin and playing partner Shaun White were all square coming down the final hole. White hit par, but Mustchin made a birdie.

His cause had been greatly helped on the par-three 17th, where he holed in one on the first day.

Mustchin has been a member at Cowdray for six months after switching from West Chiltington, where he won their championship in 2005. He represented Sussex at under-15 level.

The Bowyer Cup was played alongside the club championship and is a 36-hole handicap. The winner was Mustchin (nett 132), the runner-up Roger Murphy 134.

* Three of Cowdray Park's top seniors, David Heard, Mike Hancock and Phil Harrison, took part in a seniors' team open at Copthorne and performed creditably, achieving third place.

On the same day, 14 seniors played in the inter-club match at Petersfield drawing 3½-3½ with their hosts.

A distinguished trio of Cowdray Park seniors – open champion Dave Hirons, seniors' captain David Tilley and club vice-captain Harvey Terry – represented Cowdray Park in the Hillyard Trophy, a team stableford, at West Sussex GC.

They improved on last year's runners-up position by winning with a team total of 104, ahead of Hankley Common and Hayling Island. In addition, Terry was third in the singles with 38 points.

The recent successes of Cowdray Park players in various seniors' open competitions confirms how strong the seniors' section has become in the past few years.

* Cowdray Park seniors travelled to play a return fixture at West Surrey – one of the most popular fixtures on the calendar, and always over-subscribed.

The home side exacted revenge by winning by the same margin, 5-3, as their defeat at Cowdray Park earlier in the year.

Cowdray pair Trevor Edwards and Mike Holden won both their ties but seniors' captain, Dave Tilley and his partner, having won the home tie 5&4, were beaten 7&6 away.

Results (Cowdray names first): Keith Chapman & Ian Heustice lost to Clive Hoare & Brian Marsh 3&1; Dave Tilley & Terry Moran lost to Dennis Luxford & Derek Barker 7&6; Brian Carpenter & Richard Keep lost to John Newman & James Staff 1dn; Trevor Edwards & Mike Holden beat Angus Lamont & David Burt 1 up; Paul Berry & Tony Morrison halved with John Davenport & Bob Stovold; Ron Bridgeman & John Stone lost to John Friend & Ian Ure 1dn; John Smith & Rob Doney beat Peter Hazell & Earnie Hughes 4&3; Dave Gaff & Bill Brownlee halved with Arthur Blackman & Dennis Rowe.

Cowdray Park seniors had a trip to the downland course at Pyecombe and registered an excellent 5-3 win.

The final match went to the Cowdray pair of Peter Burton and Allan F Robinson 6&5, with Peter scoring a remarkable 12 pars.

Results (Cowdray names first): Roy Penrose & John Smith lost to Aubrey Watson & Rex Perham 2&1; Peter Hallt & John Bounds beat Lionel Foot & Colin Milward 2&1; Dave Tilley & John Start beat Sandy Saunders & Ken Tompsett 2&1; Mike Burgess & Barry Overington lost to Chris Muschamp & Chris Openshaw 1dn; Ken Marjoram & Richard Hodgson lost to Maurice Woolgar & Les Harris 6&5; Robert Strick & David Wickham beat Phil Poulter & Alan Davies 3&2; Chris Hoare & Maurice Watts beat Peter Ferns & Richard Cottell 1up; Peter Burton & Allan F Robinson beat James Easney & Ted Chapman 6&5.

SEAFORD COLLEGE

The nine-hole course in the grounds of Seaford College has been a hotbed of activity for the community of late.

The college hosted the annual Prep Schools Masters Challenge, when eight other schools from across West Sussex each sent four masters to compete.

The title was successfully defended by Windlesham House Prep School, led by headmaster Richard Foster. Second were the hosts, led by headmaster Toby Mullins, only one shot behind.

The college also hosted the Seaford Mashie, a competition open to under-13s from prep schools in the area.

Among competing teams were Seaford, Ardingly, Hurstpierpoint, Oakwood, Westbourne, Highfield, Whitgift, Windlesham and eventual winners St Edmunds.

The competition was closely contested with only three shots separating the top five teams.

Seaford headmaster Toby Mullins, who attended the day and presented the prizes, was very impressed with the high level of skill as well as the excellent

behaviour and knowledge of the rules of golf of all the competitors.
Seaford also had a three-team challenge match between Seaford College Golf Academy members, a team from Petworth Fire and Rescue Service and a team from Royal Mail in Petworth.

This resulted in a comfortable win for the Seaford members. A revenge challenge is planned soon.

The friendly but fiercely-contested matches continue with the next match against the Golf Society from the White Horse Pub in Graffham.