| Sponsors & Partners World Final 2008 |
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| Keswick Pair Overcome Disastrous Build Up To Claim UK Title At Carnoustie |
| Friday, 17 October 2008 | |
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KESWICK PAIR OVERCOME DISASTROUS BUILD UP TO CLAIM UK TITLE AT CARNOUSTIE Keswick duo Alan McNichol and Richard Barnes put a series of calamitous mishaps off the course behind them to claim an unexpected victory in the 2008 International Pairs UK Final at Carnoustie. McNichol, who plays off 20, and 13-handicapper Barnes, overcame fierce competition from 39 other pairs to score 82 Stableford points and claim the UK title by one point in the 36-hole event held on Scotland’s east coast. The Cumbrian pair lay three points off the lead after scoring 44 points on Carnoustie’s Burnside course, then surged through the field in the second round on the Angus venue’s feared Championship Course to finish ahead of Withernsea father and son Steve and Steve Dale Jnr and Laceby Manor’s Craig Gibbon and Scott Templeman by the narrowest of margins. But McNichol, 51, and Barnes, 43, revealed that they had virtually written off their chances of winning after a disastrous build-up to the second day of the competition - the world’s largest of its kind for club golfers. A black cat had already walked in front of them as they strolled around Carnoustie the evening before the second round, but worse was to follow the next morning as they broke a six-foot mirror and then set off the fire alarm in their bedroom! “We’d already forgotten our jackets for the gala dinner and had to make a hurried shopping trip into Dundee, then we had all this happen,” said Barnes, a social worker. “The mirror just dropped off the inside of the wardrobe door. Alan then decided to do iron his trousers in our room while I was having a shower and a mixture of the steam from the bathroom and the iron set the alarm off. There was chaos. “It’s a miracle we made it out on to the course at all but thankfully we were able to put all that behind us. We played really well and then got a bit of luck on the last when Alan’s putt did a lap of honour before dropping in the hole.” Carnoustie was hosting the International Pairs UK Final - which is run in association with VisitScotland - for the third year running and McNichol and Barnes’ reward for winning will be to return to the Open Championship venue in 12 month’s time to take part in the 2009 World Final. McNichol, who is a steward at Keswick Golf Club, added: “We had never played any links courses in Scotland before this and to get the chance to play at Carnoustie is a dream come true. To have the chance to come back here exceeds all our expectations.” They will be joined in Scotland next year by Dale and his son after they were declared runners-up and English champions on countback from overnight leaders Gibbon and Templeman - who missed out on possible glory after double bogeying the notorious 18th hole. “We only play at a 9-hole course in Yorkshire so this has been a whole new experience for both of us,” said Dale, whose son is his assistant greenkeeper at Withernsea, East Yorkshire. “We’ve played fantastically well and it is a shame to leave but we have to get back as the greens at our club haven’t been cut since we came up to Scotland and there will be some very unhappy members otherwise!” A magnificent birdie three at the 468-yard par four 14th helped Cottrell Park pair Steve Wood and Rhodri Davies claim the Welsh title with 79 points and earn a return trip to Carnoustie in October 2009. And John Maxwell and Steven Hunter, from Bonnybridge Golf Club, Falkirk, completed the list of national champions to go forward to the 2009 International Pairs World Final after being the only Scottish pair to qualify for the final. Maxwell won the 2008 International Pairs World Final at The Duke’s, St Andrews, last month with a different partner, Stephen Brown, and he is relishing the chance to defend his title. The four-handicapper said: “We didn’t really do ourselves justice in the final only scoring 70 points but it’s fantastic to know that I have the chance to come back to represent Scotland as defending world champion next year.” Ross Honey, chairman of International Pairs, said: “Yet again, Carnoustie provided a great test and setting for such a closely fought competition. “It never ceases to amaze me the standard of golf that is produced under such pressure and on one of the hardest courses in the world and the event was played in the true spirit of the game. “This has been another fantastic 12 months for International Pairs, the competition will be played in more than 50 countries next year and it is growing all the time.” Around 20,000 players took part in this year’s UK competition with 40 lucky pairs travelling to Carnoustie from across the UK after qualifying from semi-finals held at Ladybank, Blairgowrie, Monifieth, Letham Grange and The Players Club. To enter International Pairs, play in the winter or summer match play events or to register a club, please call 01489 878509, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Alternatively, visit the Pairs’ website at www.internationalpairs.com. Ends 2008 INTERNATIONAL PAIRS UK FINAL RESULT 1.) Alan McNichol and Richard Barnes (Keswick) - 82 points (UK champions) 2.) Steve Dale and Steve Dale Jnr (Withernsea) - 81 points (second on countback - English champions) 3.) Craig Gibbon and Scott Templeman (Laceby Manor) - 81 points Welsh champions Steve Wood and Rhodri Davies (Cottrell Park) - 79 points Scottish champions John Maxwell and Steven Hunter (Bonnybridge) - 70 points |
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