ROMSEY Golf Club and Sherfield Oaks professional Jon Barnes enjoyed major successes this week.

The Nursling club hosted the final rounds of the ERIF UK Matchplay Championship - the first time it had been the venue for a Hampshire PGA major, and Barnes lifted another trophy to add to a host of previous tournament wins in 2008.

For Barnes it was his third ERIF victory, after previous wins in 2002 and 2004, which came after he beat Hedge End Golf Centre's 4&3 in the final with an impressive display.

The first six holes of the final were halved with both players making birdies at the first and at the 192-yard fifth hole.

The deadlock was eventually broken when Barnes won the seventh and he then increased his lead with lengthy birdie putts at the ninth and tenth to go three up.

Tuddenham went further behind at the 12th after three putting and Barnes then closed the match out with an eagle at the par four 15th after almost holing his tee shot. Barnes was an approximate five-under-par for the 15 holes played.

Ironically Barnes had also won his semi-final against Hockley's Gary Stubbington with a last hole eagle, while Tuddenham had beaten Walhampton's Kevin Saunders 2&1.

The Championship was sponsored for a sixth successive year by ERIF UK and club secretary Mike Batty was delighted it had come to Romsey, saying" "We are very pleased to host it and to be able to show off our course to the rest of the county professionals."

The course has also hosted the county under-16 championship - in May - this year.

ERIF UK Championship results Third round: Chris Hudson (Southwood) beat Simon Tillson (Dibden Golf Centre), Jon Barnes (Sherfield Oaks) beat Steve Mitchell (Blackmoor), Gary Stubbington (Hockley) beat Rob Edwards (Lee-on-the-Solent), Mark Dawe (Bramshaw) beat Mike Deeley (La Moye), Kevin Saunders (Walhampton) beat Chris Tyrrell (Paultons), Ian Roper (Corhampton) beat Danny Fisher (Basingstoke), Neil Bratley (Wellow) beat Jason Neve (Cams Hall), Roger Tuddenham (Hedge End Golf Centre) beat Scott Watson (Dummer).

Quarter-finals: Barnes beat Hudson, Stubbington beat Dawe, Saunders beat Roper, Tuddenham beat Bratley.

Semi-finals: Barnes beat Stubbington, Tuddenham beat Saunders.

Final: Barnes beat Tuddenham.

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