Teams battle it out for Shropshire Star trophy

But he and his team mates could not prevent Herefordshire-based Burghill Valley Golf Club claiming the main trophy at the annual event yesterday.

The competition, which has been sponsored by the Shropshire Star in its current format since 1988, attracted 23 teams from across the Shropshire & Herefordshire Union of Golf Clubs to The Shropshire Golf Centre in Muxton.

Burghill Valley claimed the trophy for the sixth time in the competition's history after edging out Mile End by just two points in the annual 18-hole stableford competition.

The quartet of Andy Preece, James Heath, Jon Young and Westley Jones scored an impressive 111 to beat Mile End's team of Darren Roberts, David Thomas, Stuart Russell and Pete Austin who scored 109.

Host club The Shropshire, which was represented by John Hughes, Dave Hughes, Nick Jones and Will Howells, came third with 108.

Delighted Burghill Valley vice-captain Andy Preece said: "I didn't think we were going to win because we didn't think we had a good enough score. We didn't know we had won it until the presentations when they read out third place with 108 points.

"Then we knew we were in the top two but I thought 120 would be the winning score so we were surprised.

"It was tough out there and we had a few bad holes but everyone contributed to the cause."

He added that the team had been missing their captain Brian Lewis, who was unavailable, but Westley Jones had provided a more than adequate replacement.

The result marked the first time in three years that home advantage had not proved decisive.

David Thomas meanwhile claimed the prize for best individual score with an impressive 37 points.

And he said: "It was a bit of a shock. I didn't think that score would be good enough.

"The conditions were tough but the course played well and I got lucky, holed a few chips and putts, and that made the difference.

"It's the first time I have won a Shropshire competition so it was nice to win one."

The event was concluded with dinner and the trophy presentations.