Mauritian and English golfers shared centre stage at the Constance Hotels Pro-Am prize-giving ceremony last night.
In an exciting final day of the 36-hole competition in which one round is played on both the Legend and Links courses, the all-lady team of Odie Fat Lim, Aline Wong and Marguerite Kan Wah clung on to the lead they established in the opening round of the net category to emerge winners by a single point.
The issue was far more clear cut in the gross category in which the English trio of Marcus Ferguson Jones, his mother, Sally, and Rex Hennebury extended a one-point overnight advantage to six points by the close of Day 2.
The experience of home professional Vishnoo Seeneevassen had given the team of Fat Lim (handicap 10), Wong (h19) and Kan Wah (h19) encouragement as they compiled 91 points at the Links. And their good form continued when English professional Steve Cipa moved into the driving seat at the Legend on Thursday.
Another 91 took them to a 182 total.
Starting three points behind the overnight leaders after their 88-point score with Sam Torrance at the Links, a trio of Mauritian men assisted by the inspiring presence of Tom Lehman closed in on the leaders.
Raoul Gufflet (h9), Joel Roche (h18) and Robert Espitalier Noel (h7) combined to great effect but their 93 points, the day’s best return at the Legend, left them a single point adrift.
The third-placed team, led on the first day by Steve Cipa and on the second by Gary Wolstenholme, also on the Legend, could not make an impression on the leading two teams.
Paul Lim Fat (h6), Doreen Chui Wan Cheong (h20) and Patrick Chui Wan Cheong (h9) scored well to add 91 points to their Links return of 88 but this was not quite enough to improve their position.
The Ferguson Jones are no strangers to success in golf week and they were back in the winners’ enclosure again after a consistent performance in the gross category.
Marcus, a plus one player, Sally and Rex Hennebury took a one-point lead with them to the Links course after a fine 79 points at the Legend, where they had been accompanied by Zimbabwean Tony Johnstone.
Englishman Nick Job took over the baton from Johnstone and proved just as effective, helping his team amass another 80 points for a 159 total.
The closest threat on Day 1 appeared to be coming from the David Frost-headed team of former South African Test cricketer Shaun Pollock, Mike Berry and Antony Withers, who scored 78 points on the Links.
But they could not maintain the momentum, despite being aided by 2009 MCB Open champion Kevin Spurgeon, and their 74-point card provided an opening for possible challengers.
Waiting for their opportunity were Lehman, Gufflet, Roche and Espitalier Noel and the invitation was accepted. The 80 points they signed for on the Legend enabled them to complete a runners-up spot double by a single point.
Neil Webber
