Smith wins strokeplay title

The plus one handicapper from Halifax Golf Club was only eighth after a first round 73.

However, he shot 68 in the afternoon to beat Crosland Heath’s Luke Edmonds, leader after the first round, by two shots.

It is a first P S Cockroft Trophy success for the talented Smith, who is a regular member of the Union team.

He will now be top seed for the match play competition, which gets under way at Crosland Heath on Sunday, August 14.

Union officials were concerned about the low level of entries beforehand but Bradley Hall did their bit with a bumper turnout.

They packed seven players in the top 14, headed by Joe Lowson, Andy Hare and Elliott Lister in third, fourth and fifth places.

Lowson’s 145 total earned him the Jubilee Trophy for being the best junior player.

Fancied Sam Bridges blew his chance with a first round 78 but then showed his true colours with a 70 while twice winner Andy Whitworth had rounds of 73 and 75 and had to settle for 12th place on home territory.

Defending champion Graham McLean (Meltham) was right in the mix after a first round 71 but could only manage 76 on his second lap of the Holywell Green course to finish eighth.

Queensbury’s Sam Town won the prize for the best gross score in the second round (apart from the winner) with a 70.

Scores: 1, J Smith ­-1 (Halifax) 141 73 68; 2, L Edmonds 1 (Crosland Heath) 143 70 73; 3, J. Lowson 3 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 145 75 70; 4, A P C Hare 1 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 145 74 71; 5, E J Lister 0 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 145 72 73; 6, Chris Lander 2 (Huddersfield) 146 72 74; 7, James Edwards 5 (Crow Nest Park) 147 73 74; 8, G. McLean 0 (Meltham) 147 71 76; 9, Sam Bridges 0 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 148 78 70; 10, Josh Morton ­-1 (Huddersfield) 148 74 74; 11, T Hunt 1 (Meltham) 148 74 74; 12, A R Whitworth 1 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 148 73 75; 13, R Jennison 5 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 148 72 76; 14, James Fairhurst 1 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 148 72 76; 15, Daniel Hartley 1 (Dewsbury District) 149 74 75; 16, Samuel Town 2 (Queensbury) 150 80 70; 17, G Turner 2 (Woodsome Hall) 150 78 72; 18, Rob Speight 3 (Dewsbury District) 150 76 74; 19, C Mather 2 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 151 74 77; 20, Josh Mcaspurn 3 (Meltham) 152 80 72; 21, Luke Higgins 5 (Crow Nest Park) 153 77 76; 22, S A Martin 0 (West End) 153 74 79; 23, A C Shaw 1 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 154 74 80; 24, Frazer Scholefield 2 (Lightcliffe) 155 79 76; 25, Ashley Johnson 3 (Dewsbury District) 156 85 71; 26, Stephen Pullen 4 (Saddleworth) 156 78 78; 27, H Boothroyd 5 (Crosland Heath) 157 79 78; 28, Robert Dunleavy 4 (Meltham) 157 78 79; 29, Dave Pullen 5 (Saddleworth) 157 76 81; 30, Ben Pullen 5 (Saddleworth) 158 79 79; 31, D Davison 2 (Halifax) 159 82 77; 32, Fergus Barron 3 (Dewsbury District) 161 84 77; 33, Harry Mowl 5 (Crow Nest Park) 161 83 78; 34, J Hewardine 6 (Woodsome Hall) 163 81 82; 35, D R Alexis 6 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 165 84 81; 36, Reece Wilby 5 (Elland) 165 84 81; 37, N J Lodge 5 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 165 81 84; 38, R C Beattie 4 (West End) 167 85 82; 39, M Talbot 5 (West End) 173 88 85; 40, Paul Caldwell 9 (Halifax Bradley Hall) 180 89 91; 41, Benjamin Crowther 1 (Dewsbury District) NR 78; 42, F Stoker 4 (Lightcliffe) 81 NR; 43, Johnathan Owen 7 (Dewsbury District) NR DQ; 44, M A S Lawrie 6 (Crosland Heath) DQ DQ; 45, S J Horrocks 3 (West End) DQ DQ; 46, L M Collier (2 Crosland Heath) DQ DQ.