Oxford Beat Cambridge in the 122nd University Match
The Dark Blues prevail for a second consecutive year, this time by the narrowest of margins at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club.
University of Cambridge 7 - 8 University of Oxford
University of Cambridge 7 - 8 University of Oxford
The 2011 Varsity Match was an eagerly anticipated one. A year ago in South Wales, only one side was backed to take the spoils and indeed went on to do so, but the 122nd instalment of Oxbridge’s golfing history was billed to be a much closer affair from the very early stages of the season. With the Dark Blues continuing their impressive form of last year and reports from the Fens being much more positive this time around, the stage was set for an epic encounter – neither side failed to deliver.
Proceedings began in line with tradition when the two reserves from each side teed it up in Thursday’s Dinner Match, which determines who will be footing the bill for the opulent dinner on Saturday evening. The coolheaded Andrew West and the excitable Hamish Jackson were up against a strong Light Blue pair comprising Cambridge veteran Ben Tolley and freshman Lucas Birrell-Gray. The day began well for Oxford with Hamish Jackson hitting the best 250-yard, relatively straight drive one could ever witness off the second tee, warranting a loud shriek of ‘c’mon!’ from the lofty physiologist. This clearly inspired the Dark Blue pair as they battled hard in a quality match to take a one-up victory. Unfortunately, neither player managed to deliver the one point needed from the afternoon singles session to ensure the Tabs picked up the dinner bill for the sixth consecutive year, with Jackson falling 2/1 and West 4/3. Congratulations to Cambridge, who certainly exploited the fruits of Thursday’s labour when Saturday evening came around.
Whilst the Dinner Match was out on the course, back at the clubhouse news of the draw for the five 36-hole foursomes matches on Friday broke from the captains. The combinations that had come together led to two strikingly crucial contests in the top and bottom games. The top match was taken by Cambridge (Dinsmore and McFarlane) who, with 30 holes of steady play, overcame the promising pair of Jim Mercurio and Robert van Wijk 6&5. The middle three games had maybe more predictable outcomes, with the incredibly strong Cambridge pair of American Ben Wescoe and German Paul Schoenberger looking favourite in game three (8&7), between Oxford’s top pairings in Claudio Consul and Samarth Ghorpade (4&3) in game two, and Alex Gems and Calum Slowther (6&5) in game four.
With the scoreline at two-a-piece, the anchor match was to be all-important. Captain Matthew Wells and freshman David Crummey found themselves three down after 18 holes to opponents Dewhurst and Ramskill, but staged a quite astonishing fight-back post-lunch in which they were four-under for the opening six, and won nine out of 13 holes en route to a 6&5 victory. With the scoreline just one in favour of Oxford at the halfway stage, both sides were hoping for an equally thrilling day’s golf on Saturday, and the singles draw announcement on Friday evening ensured this would be the case. Despite each of the 10 matches promising excitement, there was one game that stood head and shoulders above the rest.
The name Claudio Consul sends shivers down the spine of all Cambridge golfers. With an unblemished seven victories from seven totalling an aggregate 41 holes up, the former Italian and German Amateur Champion has made dismantling Cambridge one of his favourite pastimes since 2008. However, Ben Wescoe, former Captain of Yale University Golf, arrived at Cambridge in October last year playing off a handicap of +3. All season long there was one match up that all had dreamt of – the Consul-Wescoe showdown with Consul’s perfect record on the line. And when it was announced that the captains had both (independently of one another) stationed their biggest warheads at number three, the bar of Deal clubhouse erupted with excitement and the blockbuster match that was so desperately wanted was to become reality.
The match began in quite incredible fashion. With Consul 10ft away for birdie on the second green, Wescoe holed his approach for eagle to move into a 1up lead in a front nine that would see the players exchange five further birdies. The back nine of the morning and the first two holes of the afternoon witnessed Consul storm into a six-up lead, and despite Wescoe’s best efforts the German machine was simply too strong and ‘CC’ stormed to his eighth successive Light Blue scalp. In total, this match was studded with no fewer than 13 birdies and an eagle, and will surely go down as one of the all-time great Varsity duels.
Meanwhile, his foursomes partner Ghorpade was proving that Tab-shoeing is a contagious habit, having caught the bug from Consul the day before. A morning round that saw the Economist shoot three-under par left him eight-up at lunch and in an insurmountable position making it 2-0 Oxford in the singles. In the Captains’ match, Irishmen Andrew Dinsmore sneaked past Matthew Wells 3&2, and when Geordie Ting overcame New College’s Robert van Wijk and David Crummey fell victim to Canadian Louis Caron, the match was absolutely in the balance. Some excellent play from Cambridge’s Secretary Alex Silver was enough to dispatch Oxford’s Treasurer Hugh Upcott Gill, and so with four matches left on the course Cambridge held the initiative.
News broke that Oxford’s teetotaller Tim Hoolahan had converted a five-up lunchtime lead into victory against St. Paul’s companion Charlie Dewhurst to rebalance the match. Shortly after, OUGC Secretary Calum Slowther concluded his match against Paul Schonberger 2&1 to put Oxford into a 7-6 lead with two games remaining. As players, family, old boys, bufties and club members alike descended on the eighteenth hole, all knew the equation was simple: one point from two for Oxford would be enough. Jim Mercurio secured the first half of the requirement by two-putting from 30ft on the final green for par. Then, when Alex Gems reached the 18th tee one-up with one to play, Oxford knew that the 122nd University Match was theirs. Scenes of utter jubilation ensued as the Dark Blues made it two consecutive wins and three wins out of three in Varsity matches at Deal.
A fairytale ending this was in so many ways. Claudio Consul’s remarkable Oxford career climaxing with victory over the toughest of opponents aided another achievement that will surely never be repeated. Not many captains are fortunate enough to lead out a side on their home course, but for Matthew Wells the 2011 Blues victory is his second at home club Royal Cinque Ports having captained the successful Divots outfit there in 2009. Other leavers that will be sorely missed next year are Hugh Upcott Gill, who has been an OUGC Committee stalwart for the past two seasons, and Tim Hoolahan and Hamish Jackson who for three years have also been rocks of Oxford Golf.
A spectacular way to end a cracking season. And with seven of the 12 Blues returning for service next year after back-to-back Varsity triumphs, the future for Oxford University Golf Club looks very bright indeed.
122nd University Golf Match, Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, 25th & 26th March 2011
Proceedings began in line with tradition when the two reserves from each side teed it up in Thursday’s Dinner Match, which determines who will be footing the bill for the opulent dinner on Saturday evening. The coolheaded Andrew West and the excitable Hamish Jackson were up against a strong Light Blue pair comprising Cambridge veteran Ben Tolley and freshman Lucas Birrell-Gray. The day began well for Oxford with Hamish Jackson hitting the best 250-yard, relatively straight drive one could ever witness off the second tee, warranting a loud shriek of ‘c’mon!’ from the lofty physiologist. This clearly inspired the Dark Blue pair as they battled hard in a quality match to take a one-up victory. Unfortunately, neither player managed to deliver the one point needed from the afternoon singles session to ensure the Tabs picked up the dinner bill for the sixth consecutive year, with Jackson falling 2/1 and West 4/3. Congratulations to Cambridge, who certainly exploited the fruits of Thursday’s labour when Saturday evening came around.
Whilst the Dinner Match was out on the course, back at the clubhouse news of the draw for the five 36-hole foursomes matches on Friday broke from the captains. The combinations that had come together led to two strikingly crucial contests in the top and bottom games. The top match was taken by Cambridge (Dinsmore and McFarlane) who, with 30 holes of steady play, overcame the promising pair of Jim Mercurio and Robert van Wijk 6&5. The middle three games had maybe more predictable outcomes, with the incredibly strong Cambridge pair of American Ben Wescoe and German Paul Schoenberger looking favourite in game three (8&7), between Oxford’s top pairings in Claudio Consul and Samarth Ghorpade (4&3) in game two, and Alex Gems and Calum Slowther (6&5) in game four.
With the scoreline at two-a-piece, the anchor match was to be all-important. Captain Matthew Wells and freshman David Crummey found themselves three down after 18 holes to opponents Dewhurst and Ramskill, but staged a quite astonishing fight-back post-lunch in which they were four-under for the opening six, and won nine out of 13 holes en route to a 6&5 victory. With the scoreline just one in favour of Oxford at the halfway stage, both sides were hoping for an equally thrilling day’s golf on Saturday, and the singles draw announcement on Friday evening ensured this would be the case. Despite each of the 10 matches promising excitement, there was one game that stood head and shoulders above the rest.
The name Claudio Consul sends shivers down the spine of all Cambridge golfers. With an unblemished seven victories from seven totalling an aggregate 41 holes up, the former Italian and German Amateur Champion has made dismantling Cambridge one of his favourite pastimes since 2008. However, Ben Wescoe, former Captain of Yale University Golf, arrived at Cambridge in October last year playing off a handicap of +3. All season long there was one match up that all had dreamt of – the Consul-Wescoe showdown with Consul’s perfect record on the line. And when it was announced that the captains had both (independently of one another) stationed their biggest warheads at number three, the bar of Deal clubhouse erupted with excitement and the blockbuster match that was so desperately wanted was to become reality.
The match began in quite incredible fashion. With Consul 10ft away for birdie on the second green, Wescoe holed his approach for eagle to move into a 1up lead in a front nine that would see the players exchange five further birdies. The back nine of the morning and the first two holes of the afternoon witnessed Consul storm into a six-up lead, and despite Wescoe’s best efforts the German machine was simply too strong and ‘CC’ stormed to his eighth successive Light Blue scalp. In total, this match was studded with no fewer than 13 birdies and an eagle, and will surely go down as one of the all-time great Varsity duels.
Meanwhile, his foursomes partner Ghorpade was proving that Tab-shoeing is a contagious habit, having caught the bug from Consul the day before. A morning round that saw the Economist shoot three-under par left him eight-up at lunch and in an insurmountable position making it 2-0 Oxford in the singles. In the Captains’ match, Irishmen Andrew Dinsmore sneaked past Matthew Wells 3&2, and when Geordie Ting overcame New College’s Robert van Wijk and David Crummey fell victim to Canadian Louis Caron, the match was absolutely in the balance. Some excellent play from Cambridge’s Secretary Alex Silver was enough to dispatch Oxford’s Treasurer Hugh Upcott Gill, and so with four matches left on the course Cambridge held the initiative.
News broke that Oxford’s teetotaller Tim Hoolahan had converted a five-up lunchtime lead into victory against St. Paul’s companion Charlie Dewhurst to rebalance the match. Shortly after, OUGC Secretary Calum Slowther concluded his match against Paul Schonberger 2&1 to put Oxford into a 7-6 lead with two games remaining. As players, family, old boys, bufties and club members alike descended on the eighteenth hole, all knew the equation was simple: one point from two for Oxford would be enough. Jim Mercurio secured the first half of the requirement by two-putting from 30ft on the final green for par. Then, when Alex Gems reached the 18th tee one-up with one to play, Oxford knew that the 122nd University Match was theirs. Scenes of utter jubilation ensued as the Dark Blues made it two consecutive wins and three wins out of three in Varsity matches at Deal.
A fairytale ending this was in so many ways. Claudio Consul’s remarkable Oxford career climaxing with victory over the toughest of opponents aided another achievement that will surely never be repeated. Not many captains are fortunate enough to lead out a side on their home course, but for Matthew Wells the 2011 Blues victory is his second at home club Royal Cinque Ports having captained the successful Divots outfit there in 2009. Other leavers that will be sorely missed next year are Hugh Upcott Gill, who has been an OUGC Committee stalwart for the past two seasons, and Tim Hoolahan and Hamish Jackson who for three years have also been rocks of Oxford Golf.
A spectacular way to end a cracking season. And with seven of the 12 Blues returning for service next year after back-to-back Varsity triumphs, the future for Oxford University Golf Club looks very bright indeed.
122nd University Golf Match, Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, 25th & 26th March 2011
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