Richard’s bolt from the blue

Paul Hopkinson (C&R President), Gordon Lamb (C&R Captain), Richard Walton (winner), David Whaley (Oldham Chronicle Managing Editor), and Lee Rowbotham (Best Gross).

CHRONICLE CUP

IT has been a long time in coming, but for Richard Walton it was well worth the wait.

After treading the fairways for 15 years, the Crompton and Royton member finally got his hands on a major piece of silverware — the men’s Chronicle Cup.

Walton coped admirably in the gale-force winds to win the competition on his home course.

The 44-year-old, from Greenfield, carded a round of 86-19-67 to deny club-mate Ben Gledhill (80-12-68) by a shot.

And for Walton, victory came totally out of the blue.

He said “It was a bit of a shock, truth to be told. I finished sixth in the Seven Cup at Crompton and Royton and that’s as close I’ve got before.

“The conditions were horrendous. It was blowing from all sides, but I kept my head down and tried to play my normal game.

“There are a lot of good players in Oldham and no way did I expect to win.

“I didn’t think I had a chance. There were a lot of single-figure handicap players in the field and I thought someone might come in with a 64 or 65 gross.”

Walton, a site manager for Wiggett Construction, had no inkling he was in shake-up and went about his usual business before getting the call to return to the club.

“I went home, saw my mum, walked the dog, usual Saturday afternoon stuff really, so the ’phone call to say I’d won came as a surprise,” added the former Werneth and Saddleworth member.

“A big thanks goes to my playing partners, Steve Todd and Terry Walsh. We had a good laugh, despite the conditions.

“It was my best round at Crompton and Royton for a couple of years. I play twice a week, and try to do myself justice every time I go out — and have a nice time.”

Meanwhile, spare a thought for one-handicapper Kris Sutcliffe.

He played in the High Barn Street club’s Subsidiary Medal for home players who had not qualified for the Chronicle Cup and fired an impressive 67-1-66 four-under-par return.

That would have won him the main competition had he been in the field.


Results


1, Richard Walton (Crompton and Royton) 86-19-67; 2, Ben Gledhill (Crompton and Royton) 80-12-68.

Best gross: Lee Rowbotham (Werneth) 72.

Division One: 1, Paul Tunstall (Brookdale) 82-10-72; Charles Nicholson (Saddleworth) 81-7-74.

Division Two: Danny Marland (Oldham) 90-20-70; 2, Barry McLoughlin (Crompton and Royton) 84-13-71.

Chronicle Cup Subsidiary Medal: 1, Kris Sutcliffe 67-1-66; 2, Michael Cattlin 81-12-69 CPO.