Lavin and Boyes book place in Gazette Matchplay final
Elliot Lavin and Chris Boyes will fight it out for the title of Gazette Matchplay champion 2017. The pair will go head to head in tomorrow’s final of the prestigious competition, sponsored by Blacktax Taxis and the Airport Transfer Group, at the Oceânico Old Course, in Vilamoura, Portugal. Two-time former winner Boyes, who won the competition in 2010 and 2012, booked his place in the showpiece match by defeating North Shore Golf Club’s Glen Edvidge at Vilamoura’s Laguna course. The Fleetwood GC member was in imperious form from the first tee as he won the opening five holes. Edvidge finally stopped the rot at the sixth by halving the hole and then went on to pick up a shot at the eighth. However, success at the 11th, 12th and 13th holes for Boyes brought an end to proceedings as he completed a comfortable victory by 7&5. The other semi-final between Lytham Green Drive’s Lavin and Anthony Berry, of Heron’s Reach, was a slightly more topsy-turvy affair. Berry made an excellent start by winning the second hole, but Lavin soon imposed his authority by winning the third, fifth,sixth, seventh and eighth. Lavin should have sealed victory at the 13th when he had a two-foot putt to win the match, but his shot slipped past the cup. Handed a lifeline, Berry took the 14th and 15th to go three behind with three to play. However, Lavin held his nerve at the 16th to halve the hole and book his place in the final by 3&2.