Doubles All Round For Pennard

Pennard golfers have claimed the Welsh club double this season, adding the Welsh Team Championships to the Victory Shield.

They claimed the spoils in a tight final against Celtic Manor at Rhuddlan, with Welsh Boys international Ollie Dickson winning the crucial match on the 18th against Rhys Briscoe.

Fellow Wales Boys international Harry Frazer was also instrumental in Pennard’s winning run, while Robert Neucker also won his match in the final as the Swansea club won three to two. Joe Du Feu and Theo Baker won their matches for Celtic Manor over Callum Dale and Nick Gorvett respectively.

“This was a really high quality Welsh Team Championships, one of the best we have seen,” said Golf Union of Wales championships manager David Wilson.

“The matches were really close fought, the best eight teams on paper reached the quarter-finals and the standard of golf was incredible with many of the matches seeing both players well under par.”

Pennard captain Ceri Llewellyn was understandably delighted to have seen his team make club history.

“It is a massive achievement to have won the two big competitions in the same year,” he said.

“It is the first time we have win the team championships, we have never been past the semi-finals before, so to win our first final is certainly something we will celebrate.

“We were expecting a tough game against Celtic Manor because they have such a strong team, it was tight all the way round, but in the end it all came down to the fourth match.

“Ollie needed an up and down to make sure of the win and he delivered, which was appropriate as he was also part of the team which won the Victory Shield.

“Welsh Boys champion Harry Frazer won all his matches, along with Robert Neucker, but the whole team were a pleasure to captain.

“The whole competition was superb, our quarter-final against Southerndown saw some incredible golf with every match four, five or six under par for both players.

“Rhuddlan was a great venue, it has particularly special memories for me as the last time the event was held there I was part of the Morriston team that won in 1993 so it is a good hunting ground.

“Hopefully this can be the start of a bit of golden era for Pennard because the team is so young.”

Pennard beat Pyle and Kenfig in the semi-finals, while Celtic Manor saw off the challenge of Wrexham. The losing quarter-finalists were Vale of Llangollen, Radyr, Southerndown and Newport, out of the 32 Welsh clubs that started round one.