BEN Jarman (Burghill Valley) clinched the Herefordshire Men's Championship in dramatic fashion when he beat his golfing friend Jim Payne (Brockington) in a four-hole medal play-off after they had both posted excellent six-under-par two-round totals of 134 at Kington.

Jarman posted an impressive best of the day 66 in the morning round, with Payne - five under after 11 holes but finding trouble to go back to level after 15 - finishing with three birdies to end a shot adrift on 67.

The battle royale continued in the afternoon and both players took advantage of a course in superb condition with Jarman adding a 68 and Payne, playing in the last three-ball, a second 67 to tie the scores.

Payne needed a par four at the last to lift the title but he could only manage a bogey and, under the championship rules, they went into a medal play-off over four holes.

Payne unleashed an awesome drive which found the green at the par-four first hole of the play-off and, although three putting, took a one-shot lead when Jarman three putted. Jarman responded with a birdie at the second to a bogey from Payne, and a solid par on the 17th, followed by a birdie on the final hole, clinched the title for the 18-year-old.

After starting golf together as youngsters at Brockington, Jarman and Payne moved to Leominster. Jarman has just finished a National Diploma in Golf Studies at Hartpury College, Gloucester, and 21-year-old Payne has just returned from an extended spell in America as part of the final year of a three-year course in Golf Studies at Rease Heath College, Cheshire. Both hope to pursue careers in golf.

With any competitor able to take only one prize, Payne had the consolation of winning the Eddie Evans Cup for the best nett score.

Jarman's performance also helped Burghill Valley A take the Team Shield, with Guy Haines (146) and Paul Moses (149) contributing to a total of 429. They finished seven shots clear of Kington B, represented by Alan Williams (143), Ed Deasey (145) and David Morris (148).

Full results, 36 hole championship: 1 Dan Jarman (Burghill Valley) 134 (66,68), 2 Darren Richards (Kington) 141 (71,70), 3 Jonathan Devereux (Hereford) 143 (73,70); Eddie Evans Cup (nett): 1 Jim Payne (Brockington) 128 (64,64), 2 Ian Snook (Burghill Valley) 131 (67,64), 3 Mike Craddock (Leomin-ster) 133 (67,66); AM gross: 1 Ed Deasey (Kington) 70, 2 David Morris (Kington); AM nett: 1 Nigel Scott (Kington) 65, 2 Barry Park (Burghill Valley) 67; PM gross: 1 Alan Williams (Kington) 70, 2 Andrew Lambert (Burghill Valley) 71; PM nett: 1 Tony Grey (South Hereford) 65, 2 Gary Price (Leominster) 65.