MALDON Golf Club’s Greens Committee chairman, Paul Holland, shot a fine round of golf to win the Mayor’s Cup.

Holland’s stableford score of 41 points was enough to secure victory on Sunday but only on countback from new member Keith Ellis.

On a day when several excellent scores were returned, head green keeper Tom Bownes was placed third with 39 points.

There was a countback to determine the places from fourth to sixth, with Darren Mason, Keith Hinton and Keith Denny taking those respective positions.

The nearest the pin prize on the par three fifth/14th hole went to Ed Bishop while Mark Hinton took the prize for the closest second shot on the par four sixth/15th hole.

Following Sunday’s results it is now even closer at the top of the annual Order of Merit league in which members compete over the season in 15 qualifying competitions for the Tangent Trophy.

With only one qualifying round to be played, Darren Mason secured an additional 39 league points with his fourth place in the Mayor’s Cup to take the lead on 340 points.

Immediate Past Captain Pete Hawkins is now lying second just one point back on 339, while his son Elliot Hawkins is in third place on 337.

These three, along with Keith Bannister, former head master of Great Totham Primary School, are mathematically the only ones still in contention for the Golfer of the Year title. The final qualifying competition, the Key Trophy, is due to be played over the weekend of September 25, 26, 27.

On Saturday, a team of Maldon golfers travelled to Burnham-on-Crouch Golf Club for the return leg of the biannual friendly match.

The hosts won the contest by 5-2 to retain the trophy.

The men’s monthly stableford was won by Pat Coyne with 41 points.

Second was Glenn Mann with 35 points, while Alan Syrett was third with 32.

The seniors’ stableford on September 9 was won by Ged Claydon with 38 points.

Senior’s Captain Ray Hollington was second with 37 points on countback from Barry Keusch.