GOLF: Alex Lucas of Fynn Valley won the Suffolk Open Championship at Ipswich Golf Club on Saturday evening at the first hole of a sudden death play-off with Robin Mann of Ufford Park.

GOLF

ALEX Lucas of Fynn Valley won the Suffolk Open Championship at Ipswich Golf Club on Saturday evening at the first hole of a sudden death play-off with Robin Mann of Ufford Park.

Mann, who had won the event on five previous occasions, looked to have dropped out of contention with a second round of 77, but he fought back with a five under par final round of 66 to force a play-off.

Lucas, who started the final round two shots ahead of Suffolk county player James Wright of Rushmere and five ahead of Mann, strengthened his position still further with an eagle on the 536- yard par five second hole. He sunk a 15-foot putt from just off the green.

At one stage it looked as though steady golf would see Lucas home even though Mann had five birdies in six holes between the 12th and the 17th. It was not until Lucas dropped a shot at the par five 17th that spectators realised that it would be a tight finish.

Mann parred the last, his approach shot rolling too far past the pin to give him a realistic chance of the birdie he needed to win outright. There was no time to waste to get the play-off under way because the light was threatening to fade.

It was perhaps a bit of a rush for Mann, whose tee shot took a vicious kick to the left into the wood. Lucas was also to the left but only in semi-rough.

Mann tried for the green from out of the wood but the ball struck branches and left him too close to a gorse bush for comfort. He could only chip to safety. Lucas was on the green in two and completed his par. Mann conceded.

It was a pity that it should end so tamely after Mann's great fight-back.

James Wright was three shots behind to end as the leading amateur and collected the Chris Easterbrook Salver.

Final scores

211: A Lucas (Fynn Valley) 70 70 71, R Mann (Ufford Park) 68 77 66. (Lucas won at first hole of sudden death play-off).

214: J Wright (Rushmere) 70 72 72.

218: R Hitchcock (Stoke-by-Nayland) 73 72 73.

219: B Seton (Gorleston) 73 74 72.

220: J Maskall (Hintlesham Hall) 69 77 74, W Wright (Rushmere) 74 76 70.

221: S Jay (Seckford) 76 76 69, S Robertson (Ufford Park) 75 74 72.

222: A Cavanagh (Rushmere) 74 79 69.

223: T Dobson (Bourne Hill DR) 74 74 75.

224: M Elsworthy (Rookery Park) 76 75 73, A Spink (Hintlesham Hall) 71 75 78.

225: P Kent (Bury St Edmunds) 74 77 74, A Tokley (Stoke-by-Nayland) 74 71 80.

226: N Grundtvig (Seckford) 75 75 76,

227: A Cotton (Waldringfield Heath) 71 81 75, R Garlick (Hintlesham Hall) 75 75 77, J Philpot (Aldeburgh Artisans) 74 79 74,

228: J Abbott (Fynn Valley) 77 76 75, K Day (Hintlesham Hall) 74 78 76, D Griggs (Royal Worlington) 78 75 75, J Maddock (Gorleston) 75 78 75, R Pudney (Diss) 74 77 77.

229: P Wilby (Fynn Valley) 76 76 77.

231: A Middle (Woodbridge) 74 77 80, K Preston (Aldeburgh) 77 75 79.

232: K Vince (Fynn Valley) 75 80 77.

234: J Blackmore (Woodbridge) 76 76 82.

235: A Meredith (Hintlesham Hall) 76 83 76.

236: S Reeve (Aldeburgh) 7878 80.

237: D Fairweather (Bury St Edmunds) 75 88 74, J Finch (Woodbridge) 78 74 85.

239: N Brewster (Bury St Edmunds) 75 84 80, P Elliston (Ipswich) 78 84 77, A Goodridge (Bury Driving Range) 76 85 78, P Pengelly (Stoke-by-Nayland) 75 84 80.

240: S Debenham (Hintlesham Hall) 76 81 83,

243: N Howe (Stoke-by-Nayland) 76 79 88,

No return: A Holmes (Gorleston) 76 nr 78, J Whitby (Rushmere) 75 nr 75, I Younger (Stoke-by-Nayland) 73 79 nr.