Shropshire Star

Hat-trick for Harries with another Bowring triumph

He saved his best until last and it was only just enough, but Scott Harries is the king of the Bowring Open again.

Published

The Bylet No.1 made it three triumphs in the 69th running of the Wellington club’s open competition – now in a one-day format – by beating another past champion in the final.

Harries went from 4-1 down against former Bowring man Dave King (St Georges) to 16-8 up with a class display on the older No.2 green as the floodlights came into their own after 6pm on Sunday.

But King, more interested with getting his name on the trophy than the £500 first prize, stepped up a gear and fought back to lead at 19-18, only to let Harries off the hook in a 21-19 scoreline.

Shropshire senior team regular Harries said: “I’m absolutely over the moon to win the Bowring Open for the third time in the last seven years from such a cracking field – a fantastic end to the season.

“I rode my luck in nearly every game but dug in there. Commiserations to Dave King in the final – the best player by a mile all day.”

Harries was, by his own admission, uncomfortable on the No.2 green which staged the last eight onwards, beating Josh Cotton (Wrockwardine Wood) 21-17 and then semi-final rival Sam Millward (Newport) by the same score.

King had ended the great run of Dragons club-mate Paul Beer 21-12 in the semis, having stunned another past winner in Newport’s Peter Farmer 21-7 in the quarter-finals.

Late withdrawals meant a field of nearly 60 competed and club president Terry Boxall made the presentations, thanking organiser and chairman Sean Round, who had earlier praised all who had contributed to another successful day.