DAVE Oates has emerged as a strong contender for Ross-on-Wye’s Layton Cup after he won round two of the six-stableford round competition.

Oates’ 42 points gave him a two-point advantage over Malcolm Thornton and third-placed Graham Chick, who both carded 40 points.

David Whitehead, who totalled 39 points in round 2, is the tournament leader in the clubhouse after finishing with a 40-point haul in the first round.

Ross’ B team suffered a 5½ points to ½ defeat at the Herefordshire GC in a friendly with only Roger Kingaby and Neil Rodger avoiding defeat.

Twelve-year-old Ross golfer Harry Butler has enjoyed a memorable start to 2008.

Harry kick-started his season by winning the club’s Junior April Stableford competition with 38 points.

He became the Junior Winter League champion at the club after a 5-4 win in the play-off final against defending champion Harry MacDonald.

The John Kyrle High School pupil took first place in his age group at the local qualifier of the HSBC Wee Wonders National Championships.

Harry also won the club’s Junior May Stableford with 41 points and made his debut for the club’s junior team in their 5-1 success against the Bells.

Ross Seniors maintained their unbeaten run after halving their friendly match at Stinchcombe after both teams scored four points.

Tim Rigden’s Ross team have played 12 matches in 2008, winning 10 and halving 2.

The Herefordshire County Golf Committee secured a 10 matches to eight win over Shropshire and Herefordshire Boys.

Results: Morning foursomes, Mat Harrison (Burghill Valley) and Mat Davies (Kington) won 5&4, Pete James (Belmont) and Ryan Jones (Belmont) won 1-up, Greg Morgan (Belmont) and Phil Harrison (Burghill Valley) lost 4&3, Ed Morley (Burghill Valley) and Paul Broadwick (Sapey) won 4&3, Mark Prior (Burghill Valley) and Chris Tookey (South Herefordshire) lost 4&3, Sam Hunt (Burghill Valley) and Richard Megus (Herefordshire) lost 5&4; Afternoon singles, Mat Harrison won 7&6, Pete James won 5&3, Mat Davies won 8&7, Greg Morgan won 7&6, Ryan Jones won 1-up, Chris Tookey lost 3&2, Mark Prior lost 6&5, Sam Hunt lost 6&5, Ed Morley lost 2&1, Phil Harrison lost 1-down, Richard Megus won 2&1, Paul Broadwick won 5&4.

Herefordshire GC’s Wally Harding fired 37 points to take the top spot after a countback in the 0-16 handicap section of the club’s Seniors’ open tournament.

Herefordshire’s Robbie Drummond, who also finished with 37 points, was second, while club-mate Kevin Baylis was third with 36 points.

Graham Davies, from Herefordshire, won the 16-24 handicap prize with an excellent 40 points and was followed by Don Davies (Little Aston), who hit 36 points.

Barrie Wood (Bakewell) finished in third place after carding 35 points.

Bobby Nelmes, from Lillybrook, was the over-75 winner with 36 points, with Cradoc’s Gordon Lucas securing second spot.

Herefordshire players took the remaining honours, with Peter Butt recording the prize for the longest drive and Graham Davies, Harry Ellam and David Knowles winning awards for being nearest the pin.

Herefordshire Seniors lost 4½ matches to 3½ in a close match against Sapey.

Herefordshire GC’s Mark Williams held off the challenges from Andy Morris and Mick Williams to win the 12th annual Rolex Tour on the Costa Del Sol.

He won the event by three points from second-placed Morris, while Mick Williams took third spot.

The competition was played over four courses and Mark Williams opened up at Lauro with 36 stableford points.

Noel Downes was second with Morris finishing in third.

Morris fired 33 stableford points to win the second event at Parador-De-Malaga, with Des Shaw taking second spot and Mick Williams, third.

The eight-man party then moved on to Calanova with Mark Williams registering a win with 34 points from second-placed Mick Williams and third-placed Noel Downes.

On the final day at Guadalhorce, Mark Williams needed to finish in the top three to claim the Rolex Tour championship.

He finished second on a countback to Morris after both players finished on 32 points.

Roddy Morgan won the Burghill Valley Seniors’ five-club trophy with a fine return of 38 stableford points.

Tony Edwards was second with 34 points, while John Griffiths was third, just a point behind.

Terry Bottomly secured first place in Division 1 of the May Medal competition with 88-20-68.

Trevor Waldron was two shots behind on 90-20-70, with Bob Dixon in third spot with 89-16-73.

Brian Vaughan completed the course in 88 strokes to take the prize for the lowest gross.

Mike Buffey won Division 2 after firing 100-26-74, while Arney Morley was second with 99-23-76 and Brian McDonnell, third, with 101-24-77.

Harvey Hancock triumphed in the 0-12 handicap section of Belmont’s May Medal.

Hancock took first place with 80-11-69, while Wayne Gwynne (81-10-71) was second and third-place went to Brian Stringer (82-10-72).

Tony Quinn was the winner in the 13-28 handicap section after returning 82-13-69, while Garry Tutty (92-22-70) was second and Steve Powell (85-14-71) was third.

John Lewthwaite carded 37 points to win the 0-14 section of the seniors’ away day at St Mellons.

Ken Shurmer was second with 32 points after a countback from Dennis Pritchard who took third spot.

Wref Diggings totalled 36 points to secure top spot in the 15-28 handicap section.

Don Ingram (33 points) was second and Tony Ball was third, with 32 points, after a countback from Brian Goode.

Lewthwaite carried off the Peter Burge Cup for achieving the highest score of the day.

Charlie Tower pipped Andy Thomson on a countback to clinch the May Monthly Medal of the Kingstone High School Golf Society.

Stewart Thomson, Robbie Jones and Charlie Spencer were the other divisional winners.

Results: Overall winner: Charlie Towers 49-24-25; Division 1: 1 Stewart Thomson 34-6-28; Division 2: 1 Andy Thomson 42-17-25, 2 Andy Wright 38-10-28; Division 3: 1 Robbie Jones 63-24-39; Novice section: 1 Charlie Spencer 58-27-31.

John H Williams returned an excellent round of 86-17-69 to carry off Kington Golf Club’s Committee Cup.

Glyn Wictome secured the runners-up spot with 80-10-70.

Ray Evans was the overall winner of a hotly-contested May Medal after carding 79-12-67.

Wyndham Evans won Division 1 with 74-7-67, while Phil Jones (79-12-67) won Division 2 and Bill Holmes (87-20-67) triumphed in Division 3.

Terry Inskip finished top of Division 1, with 80-12-68, in Kington Seniors’ Monthly Medal.

Keith Douglas was second with 88-18-70, while Andy Edey was third with 83-11-72.

Bill Didcock secured the top spot in Division 2 with 96-24-72, while Phil Gould was second with 94-21-73 and third place went to George Farr with 100-27-73.

The seniors’ team maintained their excellent form with a 4½ games to 2½ home win over Ludlow Golf Club.

Paul Thompson fired 86-20-66 to win Leominster’s 10% Medal Cup.

Stephen Homes was second with 87-20-67, while Robert Arrowsmith was third with 79-10-69.

Twenty-seven teams teed off the inaugural St Michael’s Hospice Golf Tournament which raised £2,427 towards specialist palliative care services.

Bunch of Cheats were the winners with 86 points on a countback from Blue Line Taxis, who also scored 86 points. All Sorts were third with 83 points. The Bunch of Cheats’ members were Steve Young, Fitz Burton, Gareth Jones and Tom Baker.

Other prize winners: Nearest the pin, second shot on the 18th hole: Andy Brace (Advantage); Longest drive on the 17th hole: Shaun Goodwin (ABC Print 1); Customised clubs draw: Susan Price.