Team Essex ICT Tour Finals Bound!

Last Friday saw the Lee Westwood Golf School based in Essex claim victory in the gross section of the intercollegiate league. The league pits the best colleges from across the country against each other in a round robin style format. Westwood were placed in area G alongside Easton & Otley and Lincoln College. Each match required six players to compete with the best four scores in both gross and nett being taken to decide the winner. Round one saw the students compete at Bawburgh Golf Club home to Easton & Otley. As it was early November the conditions were tricky to say the least however Westwood set the trend in shooting a gross team score of 302 to take victory by eleven points! A solid nett team score of 297 meant the students also claimed second place within that category. Individually Callum Pipe and William Farley both of whom are Westwood students took first and second place in the order of merit.

Round two saw the Westwood students field the home advantage whilst playing on the Gainsborough Course at Stoke by Nayland. The conditions were much improved from the following week and this combined with the local knowledge meant team Westwood produced it strongest performance of the tournament. A team score of 284 in the gross and 279 in the nett meant first place was secured across the board! In the individual competition team Westwood backed up their solid team performance by claiming six out of the top ten order of merit places on the day. Westwood second year Callum Pipe was still the man to catch though after two rounds and heading into the winter break.

Round three proved to be the most difficult as logistically it was a tricky trip for the Westwood team. However upon arrival at Lincoln Golf Club the sun came out and students had smiles on their faces. This showed in their scoring as team total of 282 gross was enough to make it three from three while a solid nett performance of 278 was only good enough for third place on the day. Callum Pipe all but assured himself the victory in the order of merit by claiming yet another first place while Adam Winter another Westwood second year played superb golf to pinch second in the order of merit. With one round remaining team Westwood were leading the gross category by three points and sitting in second place in the nett category trailing by three.

The final round saw team Westwood load their team towards the gross category. Bawburgh Golf Club was once again the venue but this time a water logged course meant it was played over 16 holes. Regardless team Westwood produced a solid round and team score of 266 gross to tie for first place and 263 nett to finish second. Despite not making it four wins from four the team did enough the claim victory in the overall gross category. Callum Pipe came out on top in the order of merit from second placed William Farley. Adam Winter capped off a solid campaign by finishing seventh whilst George Gennings also showed his prowess by finishing eight. A brilliant performance from the Westwood team and hopefully their great form continues this April at the finals in Southport!