PHIL Birch proved himself the master of matchplay golf when he won his third knockout final of the year at The Worcestershire in Malvern Wells.

Having already won the Meredith Cup singles title and the Ledbury Cup Foursomes with club captain Mark Read, the six-handicapper won the Rose Bowls Mixed Foursomes with Liz Pool.

The pair beat Clive and Debbie Minett 4&3 in the final.

The losing semi-finalists were Andrew Bird and Helen Thomas and Peter Hill and Liz Lewis.

The Worcestershire ladies who won a qualifier during the season played for the Winners’ Cup.

Newcomer Debbie Minett triumphed with nett 67 to reduce her handicap to 27.

Jill Brierly and Lucy Walton also returned scores under par of 69 and 70, respectively reducing their handicaps to 27 and one.

Walton, 17, recorded two birdies and a three-under-par albatross, taking a driver and a six-iron at the 417-yard, par-five 16th.

The men’s midweek medal went to two-handicapper Tom Howells, whose nett 71 beat Steve Johnson (handicap 25) on count-back with John Wright (20) third on 73.

Steve Webb and Roger Turner won the Spreckley Foursomes with 38 stableford points.

Wright and Trevor Simmons took second from Mike Bothma and Mike Day with both on 37.

Dennis Doano and Cuth McDowell were fourth on 35.

Tuesday’s ladies’ medal went to Pauline Belsham with nett 74.

Jackie Marks finished on 75 with Jane Poynder third overall but winner of Division Two on the same score ahead of Penny Stevenson on 77. Division Three saw a late-season rally from Julia Radley with 76 to pip Christine Goody on count-back.

The weekend medal went to Ali Tuck with nett 76.

The nine-hole stableford was won with 17 points by Marie Willis, clear of Ann Goode and Pauline Taylor on 13.

The Worcestershire hosted two successful county events.

The ladies’ and men’s unions joined to host the inaugural county mixed greensomes for 38 pairs.

Paul and Barbara Ramsden from Bransford won with 41 stableford points.

Chris and Kerry Hobbs (Gaudet Luce) were runners-up on 38 with Max and Mary Harrison (Kings Norton and Bromsgrove) third on 37.

Home players John and Geraldine Williams had the best nine-hole score, posting 21.

The county lady veterans held a pre-annual meeting 12-hole greensomes competition.

Home player Marks and Rosie Loh from The Vale took first nett with 25 points on count-back from Corinne Mills and Pat Darch, also representing the same two clubs.

Carole West and Sue Mobberley from Kidderminster took third on 24, while the best gross was by Sue Birch and Chris Atkins from Kings Norton and Stourbridge respectively with 15.

Veterans’ captain Belsham is succeeded by Val Evans from Droitwich.