STEVE Baylis was crowned champion of champions at Worcester’s Ravenmeadow and Perdiswell Park.

Baylis (7 handicap) scored 66 nett while Steve Williams (6) edged out Jamie Newton (13) for second on countback with both on 67.

Mark Purser (8) was fourth on 68.

Twenty-two of last season’s trophy winners battled over 18 holes on a dull but cool and fairly calm morning.

Baylis marked the end of his tenure as club captain with a birdie on the ninth and 12 pars alongside bogies on two, five, six, seven and eight.

A flawless gross par back nine took the outgoing skipper to the top of the leaderboard and his handicap was cut to seven.

Twenty-three players followed to contest a medal with Mark Keeling (11) storming to victory with 62 nett.

Adrian Tinker (13) was second on 66 with Neil Harrison (18) edging out Richard Palfrey (19) for third on countback with both on 69.

Birdies on four, eight and 17 along with nine pars were countered by five bogies and a double bogie on the 18th for Keeling whose handicap was reduced to 10.

Tim Cawley (27) won a stroke-play competition with 65 nett from Mick Huggins (16) on 67 and Geoff Edge (23) on 68.

Steve Bellinger (13) was fourth on 69 after seeing off Dave Phillips, Phil Lane and Mike Sanders on countback.

Five pars helped take Cawley to the front of the field and his shots in hand strengthened his chance of glory with six double bogies and two triples.

Meanwhile, Baylis and Williams combined to take a 2-1 victory for the club over visitors Little Lakes in the Daily Mail Foursomes.

They will play in round two at Broadway this month.

The club held their 2018 season opener with a two-man Texas scramble.

Stephen Griffiths and Matt Hughes (15.6 handicap) won with 56.4 nett at the Worcester club.

John Griffiths and Adrian Day (6.8) were second on 57.2 with Mike Williams and Collis Fisher (18) third on 59.

Neil Harrison and Tom Gregory (15.6) finished fourth on 59.4.

The format was tried for the first time at the club and the first pair of 23 out eventually won by setting a fine pace.

Stephen Griffiths and Hughes probably saw the worst of the weather but gelled together extremely well with birdies on five and nine to go with 11 pars. 

Kieran Sherlock won nearest the pin on the 16th, longest drive on the eighth and nearest the pin in two on the second with playing partner Dave Hancocks.

The day was concluded by the official handing over of club captaincy and blazer from the outgoing Baylis to Stephen Griffiths.

Meanwhile, Roger Cutler (21) won a club medal with 65 nett ahead of Tinker (13) who was second on countback from Dennis Morse (14) with both on 70.

Geoff Jones (22) was fourth on 71.

Cutler recorded six pars and used his handicap well with five double bogies as his handicap was cut to 20.

Ravenmeadow and Perdiswell Park lost 165-147 at home to Little Lakes in the 17-24 Handicap League.