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MIDDLETON Hall Golf Club have defied the odds to reach the grand finals of the Mail on Sunday Classic competition - the largest amateur team golf competition in the world.
The tiny West Norfolk set-up have seen off almost 3,000 other clubs and 25,000 golfers over nine rounds to book a dream finals date at El Rompido, Spain, in November.
Delighted Middleton captain Mike Lewarne said: “We still have some work to do, but we are going to savour this moment for a good while yet.
“The team have been great. It’s never easy leaving anyone out but we win as a team and lose as a team.
“We have shown that Middleton Hall not only has some very good players but that we also battle for each other and I think that sometimes makes the difference.”
Middleton were forced had to do it the hard way in the UK finals at Worsley Park, in Manchester, where they accounted for Shrigley Hall on the very last hole.
The team led 2.5-1.5 with the final game left out on the 18th tee, where Stuart Olley was one down with just the par-five to play.
Both players hit fine tee shots with Olley hit a towering shot into the back of the green some 30 to 40 feet away from the cup.
Shrigley Hall came up just short with their second shot but after a good approach chip the putt was conceded for his third birdie in the last three holes.
Olley knew that he must hole out for eagle to halve his game and win the match or the team faced the prospect of a sudden-death play-off for the second suceessive round and he duly obliged with a peach of a putt.
“After about eight feet the putt looked in. It seemed to take forever to get there but when it did, well, the team appeared from everywhere to congratulate Stuart,” said Lewarne.
“I’m sure he will remember the shot for a long, long time The match was played in such a good spirit and our opponents should be commended on the way they played.”
Lewarne thanked EIS Ltd for sponsoring the shirts and Malcolm and Lorraine at the Three Horseshoes, at Roydon, for the rain tops.
Middleton will meet Wentworth, who had European Tour star Ross Fisher in their team the last time they reached the finals back in 2000, Scottish champions Blairgowrie and Cranleigh in the November showpiece.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Thursday 23 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 17 C
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