MAC ATTACK

Venue - East Sussex National

Winner - Andy Macallister (-6)

Runner-up - Ed Bell (-2)

Hound - Nick Bell (+29)

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The pleasant East Sussex National club was a fitting backdrop to a fairytale victory for Andy Macallister on debut, against the largest field in Jacket history at the time with 16 players, with other debutants including Tim Brewster, Ed Green and Leon Sergot.

 

The affable Brewster, leading after the first round after a consummate display of ball striking which belied his nonsensical 26 handicap, was unable to withstand the Duressic Park levels of pressure with no competitive experience under his belt and he slid down to a 5th place finish. A career best round for former champion Ed Bell was only enough to claim 2nd place and the first awarding of the Bridesmaid Salver, the trophy namesake of the curse that finally departed the golf soul of Harry Gray after he succumbed to the ever increasing pressure and tumbled to a mediocre middle of the pack finish.

 

In the end it was a monstrous final round of 7-under-par which allowed Macallister to move rapidly through the field, aided by a magnificent 5-pointer deep into the back 9. He withstood huge pressure over the final few holes to win by 4 shots over Bell and 5 shots over Chris Chesterman in 3rd. Ever improving Brook McLaughlin finished a creditable 4th, underlining his rising star status on Tour. Nick Bell rounded up a memorable weekend for the Bell family by capturing the Hound.