Middleton blows away his rivals to clinch Essex golf prize at the death

STEVE Middleton won a tense sudden death play-off to lift the Essex Amateur Championship at West Essex on Sunday, after being told by a clubmate: 'You won't even make the halfway cut.'

Hainault Forest's silky smooth one-handicapped swinger overcame the jibe and the offer of a 33-1 bet to become the first player from a public golf course to win the county championship for 27 years.

Middleton, with his aptly named caddy Jimmy Winner on the bag, surged into contention over the closing stretch to wipe out Richard Jeffs' six-shot lead going into the last round.

And the rest of the supporting cast were suddenly blown away like dust particles in a gust of wind as he followed up rounds of 77, 67, and 75 with a last round level par 71.

He confessed: 'I still don't believe what has happened.

'I got the bit between my teeth when a guy called Bill King who is one of my fellow members at the club, kept telling me I had no chance of making the halfway cut.

'He even offered me a bet at 33-1 which I ignored, but I wish I'd taken it up now.

'It was all I could think about when I started disastrously in the opening round, and I dropped four shots over the first four holes to make it really difficult for myself.'

Middleton, who is 39, and lives in Chadwell Heath, squandered the chance of sealing victory at the 72nd hole after missing a six footer.

He reflected: 'I looked down at my putter and it was jumping around in my hands, because I was so nervous.

'But when I got the chance again at the second play-off hole I felt as steady as a rock and just stroked the ball home.'

He added: 'I can't believe that I've won the same trophy as Sir Michael Bonallack and Daren Lee.

'It's great for Hainault because clubs who play on a public golf course seem to be regarded as the poor relations of the sport in the county.'

Harlow based Canons Brook golf club won the Esplen Team Trophy represented by Warren Hayter, Andrew Fells and Andrew Thompson.

Scores: First , S.Middleton (Hainault) 290; Second, Richard Jeffs (Thorpe Hall) 290; Third, Bradley Smith (North Weald) 292; Fourth, Jason Hall (West Essex) 293; Fifth, Ricky Curtis (Abridge) 294; Sixth, Gary Cant (Wanstead) 295; Others: Gary Hemming (West Essex) 299; Andrew Fells (Canons Brook) 301; Danny Heard (Wanstead) 302; Ricky Blaxill (Wanstead) 303.