TARBUCK AND DEXTER BID FOR
SENIORS CROWN AGAIN

Comedian Jimmy Tarbuck and former England Test Captain, Ted Dexter, will once again be bidding for the English Open Seniors Championship at Shifnal and Worfield Golf Clubs on 2-4 June.

Both players are regular entrants for this prestigious 54-hole tournament but neither have, so far, managed to get their hands on the title.

Tarbuck, a member at Coombe Hill Golf Club, will be making his fifth appearance in the event and tees-off in his first round at 2pm at Worfield on 2 June.

Dexter, a former winner of the President's Putter and a member at Sunningdale, also starts at Worfield some 90 minutes ahead of Tarbuck.

Defending Champion is Jon Marks (Woodbridge) who came from seven shots back at Saunton a year ago to pip the then defending champion, David Lane (Goring & Streatley) by a stroke with closing 68. Lane is competing again and will line up in the same three-ball as EGU secretary Paul Baxter (Woodhall Spa), who is making his debut in this event.

There are several other past champions in the field including Gordon Edwards (Bromborough), who took the title on his own in 1988 and 1993 and was joint winner in 1996, 1995 champion Harry Hopkinson (Worksop), as well as Francis Jones (Ellesborough) and Graham Steel (Moor Park), who shared the trophy in 1994 at Parkstone.

First off at 8.30 am at Shifnal on June 2 will be television commentator Mike Hughesdon (Sunningdale) while other notables in the 240-strong field are Albert Minshall, the owner of Hill Valley in Shropshire, Roy Guy (Gog Magog) a stalwart of Cambridgeshire golf, and Leicestershire veteran Eddie Hammond.

The championship has a cut after 36 holes with the leading 60 players and ties competing for the final 18 holes.