Melton Golf Club: Six of the best to contest Race to Woodhall Spa final

RWS finalists, from left, Sam Pollard, Adrian Stokes, Mick Wilson, David Poolan and Jack Inguanta. Billy Kevan not pictured EMN-160410-101724002

Players accumulated points over the season for their performances in 32 qualifying competitions with five positions up for grabs last Sunday.

Reigning RWS champion Sam Pollard had automatically qualified by winning the Order of Merit, so the remainder were playing to join him at Woodhall Spa in the six-man final.

Each player had a caddy who all wore bibs sporting their respective players’ names on the back thanks to the sponsorship from Jon Baxter (Bax Work Wear) and Gavin Baxter (Milestone Communications).

Jack Inguanta sealed the last qualifying spot in a dramatic sudden-death play-off EMN-160410-101700002

Leaderboards were also placed around the course at the ninth, 17th and 18th greens.

After nine holes it was very close with Mick Wilson leading by one stroke at two-under from Jevan Goddard.

Club captain Jack Inguanta and Billy Kevan were on level par and then came David Poolan, Jon Baxter, Adrian Stokes and Rob Smith all tied on one-over, as eight players sat within four shots of each other.

This set up a very exciting back nine and by the time they reached the 18th tee, Stokes had taken the lead on two-under with Wilson one shot back. Poolan and Kevan were on level par followed by Jevan Goddard and Inguanta on one-over par.

Club captain Jack Inguanta PICTURES: Nathan Young EMN-160410-101712002

Stokes and Wilson both secured nett birdies on the 18th to take them to three-under and two-under respectively, and Poolan and Kevan both had pars to consolidate their positions on level par.

But Inguanta and Goddard both nett bogeyed the final hole to take them into joint fifth place with Richard South, all on two-over.

The trio went into a three-hole play-off at the first, ninth and 18th to decide the last remaining qualifying spot.

It became a tense affair with many of the players and caddies following the play-off. Already one behind, South went out of bounds on the 18th and conceded.

Goddard and Inguanta remained tied after 18, forcing a sudden death play-off down the first. Both were on the green in regulation, but club captain Inguanta sank a 20-foot birdie putt to win.

The final will be played on October 16 on the world-famous Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa which is ranked 25th among the top 100 courses in the world by Golf World Magazine.

Melton Mowbray Golf Club members would all like to thank Tim Buxton for again organising a fantastic event.