BPPA MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS
held at CENTENARY PARK PITCH AND PUTT CLUB, HARROW
on SUNDAY, 12TH JULY, 2009.
ROUND 1
In the first round the big shock came when local man Adrian Smyth beat fellow club member Savio Fernandes. A great performance from Adrian taking an early lead to go 3 up through 8 only for Savio to peg him back to level before Adrian won the 17th and held out on the last for a 1 up victory.
Current champion Steve Deeble and favorite Robert Penzes made light work with easy wins, along with John Deeble, Daniel Landers and Ron Cope. The second round draw was complete with Jamie Deeble getting through on the 19th hole and Ibby Abbas getting past Darren Collins with 1 hole to spare.
ROUND 2
The story of the second round was much the same for father and son, Steve and John Deeble, who eased there way into the semi final, defeating Ibby Abbas and Adrian Smyth respectively. Robert Penzes was pushed all the way by the British senior champion Ron Cope, Robert eventually coming out a 2&1 victor. In the last ¼ final Jamie Deeble really turned it on hitting 7 birdies in the first 10 holes to inflict a heavy defeat on the much-fancied Daniel Landers.
In the consolation games, Tony Kunjasic, Neil Green, Savio Fernandes and Syeed Abbas all won to continue their day.
SEMI FINALS
The first semi final was between current match-play and stroke play champion and British number one Steve Deeble and 3 time British champion and the home course favorite Robert Penzes. Robert took an early advantage and was 3up through 9 holes, Steve fought back with 3 birdies in a row to get to all square which is how the match remained heading up the last hole. Robert won the last to put himself in the final and to stop Steve from winning his 3rd national title in a row. The second semi final was a family affair with brothers John and Jamie Deeble going head to head. It was Jamie who took an early lead going 1up. As the match went on it was looking like Jamie was going to hold onto the lead and move into his first match-play final. With seven holes left the match turned with John hitting 3 birdies in 4 holes to go 2 up, adding a further birdie at the 16th to take a 3 &2 win and a place in the final. In the consolation matches Ron Cope, Daniel Landers, Neil Green and Savio Fernades were all victorious.
FINAL
The final was made up of two 3 time British champions but neither player having won the British match-play before, with home course player and pre-tournament favorite Robert Penzes facing the in-form John Deeble. John struck at the very first hole with a birdie to go 1 up, both players missed birdie puts on the second, John struck again on the 4th with another birdie to go 2 up. On the 5th John pitched the ball to 4 ft and was looking to have control, however, Robert had other ideas and hit a hole in one followed by sticking the ball inches from the flag on the 6th to take the match back to level. The response from John was good sticking the next to go 1 up and then winning the 8th after a mistake from Robert to go 2 up again. Another birdie at the 10th took John to 3 up but missed birdie puts followed on the next two holes from both players. John then hit the ball to 6ft on the 13th only for Robert to hole another hole in one !!! So back to 2up, again the response was good with a birdie at the next to go back to 3up for John. John then missed a long birdie chance to finish the match at the 15th but took the win on the 16th with a par to win 3 & 2. John, from the Dagenham Club, had shot a 7 under over the 16 holes played in a high quality final to become the British match play champion for the first time and take his 4th British crown. Steve Deeble beat Jamie Deeble 7 &5 in the 3rd place play off.
Ron Cope beat Daniel Landers into 5th.
Savio Fernandes beat Neil Green into 7th.
A good day all round, food good, weather good, course good, some fantastic play the highlight of which must be the blitz Jamie Deeble hit Daniel Landers with in the second round, a real purple patch.
| 
