GOLF: Vibert helps to secure home victory in Pickeridge Pro-am (From This is The West Country)

GOLF: Vibert helps to secure home victory in Pickeridge Pro-am

9:14am Thursday 20th September 2012 in Sport

HOME professional Ian Vibert made only his second appearance of the year after missing the cut in the Total Triumph at Oake Manor.

But he played steadily and made vital birdies at the 14th, 17th and 18th to finish 17th on four-over-par 74 to finish as the leading Oake Manor player in the club’s annual Pro-am.

And more importantly, his pars and birdies helped to steer his Spackman Associates team of home members Paul and Alison Spackman with Enmore Park’s Paddy MacLennan to victory in the team event.

They totalled 11-under-par 129 to win on countback from the Coomber Fire and Security trio of Steve Coomber, Rob Weaver and Chris Pitman, led by Chris Gill (Exeter). Lee Thompson (Dudsbury) headed the Atom Insurance team of Clive Thorne, Dave Hollow and Jim Greenhow into in third place on 130.

Simon Stevenson (Taunton and Pickeridge) must have felt like going home after a horrendous start. He dropped a shot at each of the first two holes and followed with a triple-bogey seven at the third.

But the Scot drew on all his resolve to put those mishaps behind him and he made five birdies – three in succession from the fifth - and dropped only two more shots to play the final 15 holes in three-under-par and sign for 72 to share 12th.

Oake Manor players Alex Munro and Tim Burdon shot 75 and James Smallacombe 77.

Cornishman Richard Sadler (Killiow Golf Club) led the Pro-am for more than five hours until last man Liam Bond (Marriott St Pierre) equalled his three-under-par 67.