THE best of The Worcestershire’s players fought it out for the AM Chance Cup at the men’s club championships before an exciting finale.

A medal round, played off scratch over 36 holes, began at 8am in fair conditions, which deteriorated into torrential rain before brightening later in the day.

Leading at halfway was defending champion Jason Allies on 73 gross with Tom Howells and Dave Marshall on 75.

Five strokes behind was Peter Lupino, who had only stepped off a plane five hours earlier with no golf for two weeks.

But a 72 from Lupino in the afternoon for a total of 150 was sufficient in testing conditions to secure his 12th club championship.

Allies’ rounds of 73+78 and Dave Marshall’s 75+76 gave them 151 gross, while Geoff Fox, Will Burgess and Andy Dunster all broke 160.

In the handicap, Allies, playing off three, beat all Division One entrants to lift the Schweppes Cup for the best 36-hole nett score with 145.

Second was Richard Higgs (handicap 11) on 146 ahead of Fox (5), Burgess (5) and Paul Wakely (10) on 148.

The 18-hole Deerhurst Cup, open to Division Two and Three, went to Dave Turner (16) with 72 nett ahead of Pete Basten (15) on 73 and Dave Flanagan (13) on 76.

In ladies’ medal play, the Silver Cup was close between county veterans’ captain Pauline Belsham and the consistent Davina Taylor.

Both recorded 71 nett with Belsham winning on count-back and Lucy Walton was third on 73.

Cynthia Guest won the Bronze Division followed by Lisa Digings with Christine Goody topping the Copper Division. A nine-hole stableford went to Sharon Williams with 17 points ahead of Esme Davy on 16.

The men’s midweek stableford saw a Division One win for Shaun Porritt (11), whose 35 points beat Mike Hanna (11), Chris Rawlings (9) and Richard Bird (14) on 34.

The best round was by Robin Marling (28) on 38 ahead of Peter Jolley (17) on 36 and Alan Martin (27) and Stephen Homes (19) on 35.

A ladies’ match captained by Mary Horrobin and a men’s ‘B’ team led by John Monk lost at Worcester Golf and Country Club and Evesham respectively.