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HASTINGS INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT 2002

FINAL: 21/07/2002

Weather: sunny

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

=

Tim Davies

2

2

2

2

4

Œ

2

2

2

2

Œ

Œ

2

2

3

Œ

2

Œ

34

John McIver

3

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

4

2

2

2

37

Fifth stage (Final)

In the final of the 'HIT' held on July 21, Tim Davies overcame Ted McIver in a very tense affair.  The match was closely poised up until the fifteenth where Davies playing first, faltered under the pressure. Fortunately for Davies, McIver not only faltered but buckled as his two first shots hit the obstacle. There was no way back, the final three holes have been kind to Davies throughout the competition as indeed they were today.  McIver was circumspect after the one round final and graciously conceded that it was a fair result given the state of play prior to the final round.  Davies was elated having won his first title of the year.

 

HASTINGS INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT 2002: FINAL TABLE OF RESULTS

 

Rd. 1

Rd. 2

Rd.3

Rd. 4

Rd. 5

Rd. 6

Rd. 7

Rd. 8

Ave.

Total

Tim Davies

36

38

38

33

33

36

35

32

35.125

281

John McIver

38

34

35

39

45

35

40

33

37.375

299

Peter Parr

41

44

35

36

37

36

39

38

38.250

306

Mark Spry

41

41

--

--

--

--

--

--

(41.000)

DNF

Fourth stage (rounds 7 & 8)

In the fourth stage of the 'HIT' held on July 5, Tim Davies pulled a further 6 shots ahead of second place Ted McIver who again started poorly and looked as though he might just squander the three shot lead he had over Peter Parr.  This means that the competition will now go to a ninth round which is a one match play-off between Davies and McIver, all previous results are ignored.  Fortunate for the player eighteen shots behind after eight rounds!

The conditions were atrocious with driving rain and laying water.  However, after an initial debate the three decided to continue.   Davies had a promise to keep, to win more rounds than the rest combined, he did so with ease as the conditions meant he could attack the holes whilst the two others played for second place.

After the seventh round Parr was within two shots of McIver, each having shot 39 and 40 respectively.  McIver brushed the challenge aside with a fine 33 in the eighth round as Parr could only manage a 38.  Meanwhile basking in the freedom, Davies posted a 35 and a 32, the best two round score of the competition and the best single round score.

ROUND 7: 05/07/2002

Weather: rain

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

=

Tim Davies

2

2

Œ

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

2

3

2

2

3

2

Œ

2

2

35

Peter Parr

2

2

3

2

2

2

2

4

3

Œ

2

Œ

2

2

3

2

2

2

39

John McIver

3

3

2

2

4

Œ

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

2

5

2

2

Œ

40

 

ROUND 8: 05/07/2002

Weather: rain

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

=

John McIver

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

Œ

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

33

Tim Davies

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Œ

Œ

2

2

2

2

Œ

Œ

2

32

Peter Parr

2

2

3

2

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

3

2

38

Note: Round 8 was played starting from the 9th hole.

Notes:

  1. Mark Spry resigned from the competition after two rounds.
  2. Tim Davies and John McIver qualified for the 18-hole Championship play-off (date to be announced). Tim Davies has the choice of whether to play first or second.
  3. Applications are invited from players wishing to join the competition for the 2003 season.

Third stage (rounds 5 & 6)

In the third stage of the 'HIT' held on June 16, Tim Davies pulled a further 11 shots ahead of second place Ted McIver who had a fifth round nightmare, full of schoolboy howlers.  More importantly his strong performance has enabled him to wrestle the coveted British Number 1 title from McIver.  Peter Parr seized his opportunity to  close in on second place, only 3 shots separate McIver and Parr going into the final two rounds.  The question on everyones lips is, "will McIver make the play-off?".  Guest, Jon Angel played well on his first visit to the British Open course and indeed claimed the scalp of the British Champion in the first round.

After six rounds:

1.  Tim Davies -- 214
2.  Ted McIver  -- 226
3.  Peter Parr   -- 229

It was a day where practice was essential before the tee-off, McIver failed to do so and paid the price with a lacklustre fifth round.  Proper preparation should be the bywords of any semi-professional.  Davies had put in the time and reaped the rewards with an excellent 33, whilst McIver floundered in drying conditions to post a miserable 45.  Not until the sixth round did he show any semblance of the form that has seen him finish at the top or thereabouts in every competition this year.  Peter Parr looked gleefully on with the prospect of reaching the play-off becoming a distinct possibility, whereas only three weeks ago he was expecting an ignominious third place.  He played solid percentage shots and kept pace with Davies in the fifth round until the last four holes where Davies went into overdrive and claimed a comfortable victory.

The sixth round saw McIver shake off his malaise and start playing, the game again went to the last four holes with the combatants vying for top place.  McIver finished the strongest and claimed the round.  However, Parr is in a positive frame of mind, "I am confident I can make that deficit up" and further added "If I can get into the play-off against Tim, anything can happen over 18 holes. I feel I'm capable of shooting a very good round this year -- something like a 32. I realise after today I have the ability".

Jon Angel did well to post a 43 and a 42 on an unforgiving day and must fancy his chances of reaching the knock-out rounds of the British Open later this year.

ROUND 5: 16/06/2002

Weather: damp
 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

=

Jon Angel

2

2

2

2

4

2

2

2

4

2

2

3

2

2

4

Œ

3

2

43

John McIver

3

2

2

2

4

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

2

3

6

Œ

3

2

45

Tim Davies

2

Œ

2

2

4

Œ

Œ

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Œ

Œ

2

33

Peter Parr

2

2

3

2

2

Œ

3

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

3

2

2

2

37

ROUND 6: 16/06/2002

Weather: damp
 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

=

Peter Parr

2

Œ

2

2

2

Œ

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

36

John McIver

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

Œ

2

35

Tim Davies

2

Œ

3

2

3

Œ

2

Œ

3

Œ

2

2

Œ

2

3

2

3

2

36

Jon Angel

3

2

3

2

3

Œ

2

3

4

Œ

2

2

Œ

4

2

2

3

2

42

Jon Angel competed as a guest player in rounds 5 and 6.

Second stage (rounds 3 & 4)

In the second stage of the 'HIT' held on May 25, Tim Davies fought back from a poor start to head the leader board.  Tim takes a one shot lead into the next rounds.

After four rounds:

1.  Tim Davies -- 145
2.  Ted McIver  -- 146
3.  Peter Parr   -- 156

On quite a difficult gusty day where the course, as predicted, played differently than in the previous rounds, the three combatants did well to keep a four or worse off their cards.  Peter Parr started well as the two leaders faltered and continued to lead until the fifteenth, he looked inspired.  However, as is often the way, the unforgiving fifteenth was the telling factor as Ted McIver clawed back a shot and then another at the straightforward sixteenth. Honours were even at the end of the third round between the two with Davies looking on in exasperation, McIver extending his overall lead in the competition to a very healthy five shots.

In the second round of the day, it was again Parr who bounded out of the starting blocks as McIver and Davies looked on in awe.  Whereas McIver wilted under the pressure, Davies dug deep into his reserves and clung on in there.  At the sixth, Parr, failing to allow for the wind underhit the ball.  It stalled and he posted a costly three.  Davies took the initiative and popped in his third ace.  Meanwhile, McIver couldn't get a sniff of an ace, as the ball willfully refused to enter the hole on his first shot.  Davies retained his lead and extended it further with two more aces in the last three holes.  

The tournament is now finely balanced between the top two national players as Davies pulls out a one shot lead.  Parr must be still rueing his poor first two rounds which have virtually ruled him out of contention.

Note: Mark Spry resigned from the Championship after two rounds had been played.

ROUND 3: 25/05/2002

Weather: sunny
 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

=

Tim Davies

3

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

3

2

Œ

2

2

2

3

2

Œ

2

38

Peter Parr

2

Œ

3

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

35

John McIver

3

2

2

2

3

Œ

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

35

ROUND 4: 25/05/2002

Weather: sunny
 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

=

John McIver

2

2

3

2

3

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

39

Tim Davies

2

Œ

2

2

3

Œ

Œ

2

2

2

2

2

3

2

2

Œ

2

Œ

33

Peter Parr

Œ

Œ

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

2

2

36

 

First stage (rounds 1 & 2)

In the first two rounds of the 'HIT' held on May 4, Ted McIver and Tim Davies shared the honours winning one round apiece.  Ted takes a two shot lead into the next rounds.

1.  Ted McIver  -- 72
2.  Tim Davies -- 74
3.  Mark Spry   -- 82
4.  Peter Parr   -- 85

Imagine a match between Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood, Nick Faldo and Darren Clarke. Or a tournament that brought together Tim Henman, Greg Rusedki and er… Britain’s other two leading tennis players. Now think miniature golf.

John ‘Ted’ McIver is reigning British Champion and currently tops the UK rankings. Tim Davies was the player he deposed as British number one. Both men are members of the British team that this August will travel to Prague for the European Championships. Peter Parr is a former British Champion, while Mark Spry – ranked fourth in the UK – is Champion of Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club.

All four players were in Hastings on Saturday, teeing-off at England’s premier course for the right to call themselves King of miniature golf.


First blood went to Ted McIver, who curved a sweet downhill putt at the second hole straight into the cup. Davies and Parr both fell victim to the testing fifth hole and – when Mark Spry was put off at the 10th by someone in the gallery impersonating Porky Pig – it looked as though McIver was pulling clear. But a run of four dropped shots in three holes brought him back to the field. And it was Davies who closed the first round the strongest, acing the 17th hole for a level par total of 36.

Tim Davies is the closest the UK has to a full-time pro minigolfer. He began the second round high on confidence, goading his opponents with taunts that he would win more games in the eight-round competition than his three rivals put together. A dropped shot at the third hole could not have been part of his game plan, however – and when Ted McIver aced the sixth, seventh and eighth, Tim’s gamesmanship appeared to have back-fired. Ted kept his cool over the back nine to close with an excellent 34. His score – which helped extend his lead at the top of the British rankings – could have been even better as his tee shots at 14, 15 and 18 all shaved the hole. Tim had to settle for a round of 38. "The course will be subtly different for the next rounds, it always is!" he said after an ace at the 18th left him two shots adrift of tournament leader Ted after 36 holes.

With only a quarter of the competition gone, Tim and Ted must both be confident of qualifying for the single-round Championship play-off. Mark and Peter had a disappointing day – Peter even going out of bounds twice at the 15th hole as he slumped to an amateurish 44. Mark is already ten shots off the pace, with Peter three strokes further adrift and needing to re-think his game plan if he is to avoid a relegation play-off at the end of the season. But, with every game counting towards the rankings – and pride and local bragging rights also at stake – everyone still has plenty to play for going into the next round of fixtures.

 

ROUND 1: 04/05/2002

Weather: sunny
 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

=

Mark Spry

2

2

3

2

2

2

2

2

4

3

2

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

41

John McIver

2

Œ

2

2

2

2

3

4

3

Œ

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

38

Tim Davies

2

2

2

2

4

2

3

Œ

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

36

Peter Parr

2

2

4

2

4

Œ

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

3

4

2

2

2

41

ROUND 2: 04/05/2002

Weather: sunny
 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

=

Peter Parr

3

2

3

2

4

2

2

2

3

Œ

2

2

2

2

5

3

3

Œ

44

Mark Spry

2

2

2

3

3

2

2

3

2

2

4

2

2

2

2

2

3

Œ

41

John McIver

2

2

2

2

3

Œ

Œ

Œ

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

Œ

2

2

34

Tim Davies

2

2

3

3

3

2

2

Œ

2

2

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

Œ

38

Rules:

  1. Standard BMGA rules of the sport will apply, except where outlined below.

    2. Format:

  2. The Hastings Invitational Tournament will be played over eight rounds, plus a grand final. All rounds will be played at White Rock Gardens.
  3. Matches will take place throughout the season, on dates to suit the participating players. The first two rounds will be played on Match Day 1; the next three rounds on Match Day 2; and the final three rounds plus the Final on Match Day 3. This schedule may be altered by agreement of the participating players, but the competition must be completed before the date of the British Open.
  4. Participation will be by invitation only. For the inaugural season of the competition, invites will be extended to the four players affiliated to Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club (PHCGC) who were placed highest in the British rankings at the end of the 2001 season.
  5. Prior to the competition, the four participating players will be drawn as Player A, Player B, Player C and Player D. The playing order in each round shall be as follows:
    6.

     
     

    Rd. 1

    Rd. 2

    Rd. 3

    Rd. 4

    Rd. 5

    Rd. 6

    Rd. 7

    Rd. 8

    Mark Spry

    1st

    4th

    3rd

    2nd

    1st

    4th

    3rd

    2nd

    John McIver

    2nd

    1st

    4th

    3rd

    2nd

    1st

    4th

    3rd

    Tim Davies

    3rd

    2nd

    1st

    4th

    3rd

    2nd

    1st

    4th

    Peter Parr

    4th

    3rd

    2nd

    1st

    4th

    3rd

    2nd

    1st

     

  6. Players will be ranked according to their aggregate scores. Where two or more players finish on the same score, the player with the lower/lowest best single round score will be placed highest. (No sudden death play-offs will be held.)
  7. The two players with the lowest aggregate score for all eight rounds will qualify for the Final. This will be played over 18 holes.
  8. The player with the lowest aggregate score for all eight rounds will have the choice of whether to play first or second in the Final.
  9. The winner of the play-off will be the Hastings Invitational Tournament Champion. In the event that the play-off results in a tie, the player with the better record in the eight earlier rounds will be declared the champion.
  10. The three players with the lowest aggregate score for all eight rounds will receive automatic invites for the following season's Invitational Tournament.
  11. At the start of each season (apart from the first season in which the Invitational Tournament is held), there will be a play-off between the player finishing fourth in the previous year's Invitational Tournament and any other BMGA members wishing to enter the Invitational Tournament. The play-off shall be over two rounds at White Rock Gardens. The winner of this play-off shall qualify for the new season's Invitational Tournament.
  12. On the agreement of all participating players, one additional guest player may be invited to play in each round of the competition.
  13. Guest players will not have to pay the tournament entry fee. They will play last in each round. (Rule 13 does not apply if it is agreed in advance that the same guest player should play in all eight rounds of the competition.

    14. Attendance
  14. If a participating player is unable to turn up for a round of the competition at the agreed time, they must inform all the other participating players as soon as possible.
  15. Any player failing to turn up for a round of the Tournament within 15 minutes of the agreed start time will be deducted 10 BMGA ranking points unless:
    1. They have given all other participating players (including guest players), by e-mail, at least 48 hours' notice of their late arrival or absence; or
    2. They have given all other participating players (including guest players), by telephone, at least three hours' notice of their late arrival or absence; or
    3. There are genuine extenuating circumstances, which are accepted as such by all other participating players (excluding guest players).

    General:

  16. Results of all matches (including those involving guest players) will count towards the British rankings.
  17. The entrance fee for the Invitational Tournament shall not exceed £10 per player. In the first season of the competition, the entrance fees will be used to purchase a trophy. Thereafter, the money collected through entry fees will be awarded to the winner of the competition.
  18. In each season, the winner of the competition will be responsible for the engraving of the trophy.
  19. All participating players (including guests) will be responsible for the cost of their own green fees.
  20. Lead responsibility for the organisation of the Invitational Tournament shall change each year (rotational presidency).

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