DAVID GREEN was a surprise winner of the Committee Cup, the first major of the season at Saddleworth Golf Club.
The 62-year-old retired plumber from Springhead was convinced his two round nett score of 141, after rounds of 71 and 70, would not land him top spot.
But in a thrilling finish, in which Dean Jagger and Philip Jones also returned 141, David won following a card play-off.
He said: “It went down to the wire and I was sure a one-under par total would not be enough to win.
“In the second round I hit a rake in the bunker at the par three 15th and took a five and thought I had blown my chance.
“But at the 18th I holed a 25 foot putt for a par, and that won it for me but, other than that, it was quite mundane.”
Jagger had rounds of 74 and 67 for his 141 while Jones had returns of 76 and 65. The first-day prize went to Jeff Platt (69) and second round to Alastair Wright (67).
Green, who played at Oldham before joining Saddleworth 16 years ago, has won one other major, the Mountain Ash in 2006.
“It was a long time ago, but there is still life in the old dog,” he joked.
Green has achieved a hole in one which, ironically, was at the 15th hole at Saddleworth where his Committee Cup hopes almost unravelled after a costly double bogey.
Meanwhile, Gary M Simpson and Stephen Pullen won another piece of silverware as they lifted the Cyril Taylor Trophy after a nett 70.
Second were Lee Blainey and Philip Laverty (70.6) while in third place were John Davies and Les Beevers (71.5).
Winner of the Lombard medal was Phil Paxford (78-11-67) from runner-up Roger Devy (77-9-68) and third-placed Gary Simpson (75-5-70).
The women’s Chronicle Cup was won by Eileen Simpson on her own Saddleworth course following a terrific eight under par nett 63 off her 21 handicap.
The 68-year-old from Greenfield had a hectic day as she was on the competition’s organising committee so had been at the course from 7.30am, though she did not tee off until lunchtime.
She won by a three shot margin from Oldham’s Jane Antrobus whose return was 82-16-66.
