MEMBERS of Ross Golf Club will compete for the first major honours of 2016 this Saturday.

Played off the club's shortened yellow course, the top 12 performers from each monthly competitions will take part in the Annual Barnfield Trophy.

The final winter stableford event was played in testing conditions and saw 93 players participate.

Peter Bennett with the day's top performer, with 11 pars and two birdies helping him achieve 41 points.

Otherwise, it was two of the club's younger players who took the eye.

Jordan Hughes, aged 11, scored 40 points, ensuring he topped the leaderboard in Division Two.

Hughes only became a junior member a few weeks previously and was only taking part in his second adult competition.

Coached by head professional Tim Hall, Hughes has already tasted success in events within the club's Juniors team and now he can look forward to a 'continuous improvement' programme of skills and processes.

Former junior captain Niall Powell also carded 40 points.

Apart from a double-bogey blemish at the 2nd hole, Powell completed both sets of nine holes in one-under gross par.

In handicap Division 1, the six qualifiers were Michael Williams (39 points), Colin Bennion (38), Peter Lawrence (37), Harvey Hancock (37) Nigel Montague (37) and Simon Mills (36).

From handicap Division 2, the members to join Jordan Hughes in the final are Colin Price and Adrian Hope (39), Stephen Gregory and Norman Lodge (36) and Brian Cartwright (35).

Meanwhile, Ross lost 3-2 to Monmouth in the first round of the 2016 Mail on Sunday Golf Classic.

Colin Bennion and Chris Merriman both lost their matches to put Monmouth 2-0 up, but David Barnard beat Rob Williams to reduce the arrears.

Steve Wallbank then levelled the match after overcoming Steve Moncur, but Tim Wyatt lost his match on the 17th hole, handing the win to Monmouth.