2017 Dacoity Cup Day 1

The Dacoity Cup visited Devon for the first time, to find the course at Woodbury Park in superb condition. Immediately the challenge was clear for all to see, with the clubhouse and terrace overlooking the beautiful but daunting looking par 3 18th hole, a 130 yard shot across a pond to a green with water on three sides.



18th hole at Woodbury Park

Captains Ken Hicks and Dave Talbot had little decision making to do for the first day, with pairings largely decided by who needed to use a buggy, such was the extent of injuries and age related decay within both teams. Ken seemed to have spent slightly longer thinking about his order for the secret singles, but would that mean he picked a more successful permutation? Time would tell.

 

Fourballs

Captain Ken led the way by going out in the first match with Derek Ives, a steady pair in contrast to the flamboyant Rest of the World combination of Alan McDougall & Mike Dunbar. Scottish flair won out, while Stu Hay and Dave Hues won the second match, beating Paul Stone and Dacoity Cup rookie Colin McDougall, who it's fair to say struggled on his first appearance. The final fourball was evenly matched and ended in a half so the scores were level after the first set of matches:

Ives & Hicks 48 lost to A McDougall & Dunbar 55
Hay & Hues 66 beat C McDougall & Stone 33
Morell & Cartwright 62 halved with Talbot & Brownlee 62

England  11/2  Rest of the World  11/2

Singles

Both Captains had submitted their order for the singles matches, which are not revealed until after play has finished. Here's how they came out on day 1:

Cartwright 37 beat Dunbar 18
Hay 32 lost to Brownlee 37
Morell 25 lost to Stone 30
Hicks 19 beat C McDougall 3
Hues 34 lost to A McDougall 37
Ives 29 beat Talbot 26

So honours even after day one:

England 41/2, Rest of the World 41/2