STEVE Williams won the fifth round of seven in the winter league at Ravenmeadow and Perdiswell Park with 43 stableford points.

Twelve pars and birdies on the fourth, sixth and 13th holes took Williams (7 handicap) ahead of the pack at the Worcester course.

Three bogies on the third, 10th and 12th could not put the brakes on his chase for glory.  Williams’ win meant a handicap cut to six.

Neil Harrison (17) finished with 42 points and took second place with eight pars and a birdie on the 18th.

But six bogies and three double bogies hit Harrison’s card hard and took it right down to the wire.

He also took a handicap hit and will now play off 16.

Harry Chadwick (4) took third on count-back after finishing tied on 41.

His 22 homeward points just gave him the place even though he dropped in 12 pars, birdies on the 13th and 14th and an eagle on the 18th.  Tied with 41 was Trevor Ditchfield (22) who had to settle for fourth.

After several days of frost-hardened surfaces 42 players took to the tees on a dull but otherwise mild and fairly placid morning.

Sixteen managed scores of par or better for the course.

Twenty-nine players went into battle in round five of eight in the Geoff Edge Cup.  Oliver Walker (2) tore into the course and a tasty 40 points included 12 pars and four birdies on the second, sixth, ninth and 18th holes.

Two bogies on the fourth and 10th failed to prevent an overall round of two-under-gross.

Three players finished on 38 and count-back was needed to separate them as Dennis Morse (14) took second after carding a back-nine tally of 22.  Downing nine pars, Morse recovered from a shaky start with three of the first four holes only earning him one point each and piled on the pressure with a relentless display.

Jan Schutte (18) took third based on count-back over the last six holes with just three pars bolstered by two birdies on the second and 16th.

Steve Baylis (7) took fourth after nine pars and birdies on the sixth and 17th put him firmly in the mix for a podium finish.

Chilly conditions and winter greens resulted in a reduced field for the seniors’ medal but Fred Hackett (21) brought home 66 nett to win by four shots.  Seven pars took Hackett in front but his back-nine holes won the day.  Schutte took second after returning 70 with just three pars and four double bogies but, given the conditions, his golf was steady enough to get in under nett par for the course.

Phil Lane (15) again played his way onto the podium when he shot 73 and took third.

Just four pars and a birdie on the second hole left Lane with too much to do and he dropped too many shots with five double bogies or worse.

Ron Jones (16) shot 76 and finished tied with Dave Johnston but snatched fourth position on count-back with his better back nine of 37.