Neil Humphreys won the CARA Cup

[<<] [>>] by Mike Huxley at Guildford and Godalming
28th August 2020 (GC)

It was Guildford and Godalming's first, and last, open tournament of this much-disrupted year. We were very pleased to welcome a full entry of 16 for a GC tournament open to handicaps 1 to 6. The whole spectrum was represented - from four 1-handicappers to two 6-handicappers. The weather was relatively kind, the two heavy showers happening during the knock-up period and during lunchtime. Otherwise it varied between breezy and warm and breezy and cool.

Variable weather, variable play - shocks happened. Two 5 handicappers and one 6 survived the morning blocks and qualified for the afternoon knockouts. In the end, though, the cream rose to the top and the final was contested between Ron Carter (1, Ealing) and Neil Humphreys (1, Sussex County).

The first 6 hoops were shared, 4 being won with jump shots. At hoop 7, Neil's attempted clearance merely put Ron's ball in a better position, allowing Ron to lead for the first time. Neil levelled at 8 but a perfect approach to 9 helped Ron back in front. Neil won the next two to lead 6-5. Then came the dramatic ending. Ron was close in, and easily runnable, at 12, but Neil had enough sight of the hoop to be able to crash his ball through from 11 yards.

An absorbing final - well done to both - and worthy of mention are the performances of two 5-handicappers (Phil Davies and Jan Honeysett) who finished 3^rd and 5^th respectively.

It was fun to be back!