MIKE Sanders hopped to victory in Ravenmeadow and Perdiswell Park Golf Club's Rabbit Cup in Worcester.

Running concurrently with a medal competition the cup was for players with handicaps of 24 and over.

Sanders got his ball round in 70 nett shots.

Playing on the margin of the competition limit the 24-handicapper started shakily and carded 37 at the turn after finding the cup in regulation just once on the second.

Just one more par on the 18th then went on Sanders’ card but a much better back nine of 33 earned him the trophy.

Having carded six double bogies or worse in his round Sanders could certainly have made life easier for himself.

Roger Richardson (29 handicap) came home two shots shy of the winner, having posted 72 for second place.

Tony Solomon (25) carded 74 to earn another podium finish, taking third by a decent margin and Richard Cumming (27) brought in 77 for fourth.

Seven of the 25 players in the medal returned scores of nett par or better for the course on a fine summer’s day with near-perfect course conditions.

A tight finish ensued with back-to-form Norman Vernalls posting the winning score of 62 with a birdie on the 13th and nine pars on his card.

With just one double bogey on the 11th Vernalls showed the value of playing bogey golf and maintaining consistency.

He took a handicap reduction following his success from 16 to 14.

John Hine (19) was second after finishing tied with Peter Brown on 63 but a back nine of 31 pushed his club-mate, whose handicap dropped from 17 to 15, down a place.

Ed Nicklin took fourth ahead of Roy Turner after both posted 64 and his handicap went from 15 to 14.

Ravenmeadow and Perdiswell Park lost 172-152 at Little Lakes in the Worcestershire 17-24 Handicap League as Duane Parsons and Joe Jackson won 42-35 on points.

There were defeats for Geoff Edge and Mike Williams 39-47, Mick Huggins and Steve Duggan 30-39, John Hine and Bill Kelly 38-43 and Bob Wood and Brian Hodgetts 33-43.