DAVE Smith came good at the end of a testing day’s golf to take the top honours in the final winter event of the year at Cleobury Mortimer Golf Club.

The Wyre Common course held up really well despite some awful weather, with the afternoon starters getting much the better of some trying conditions.

Strong gusts played havoc for most of a stormy day but Smith made a mockery of the wind to collect 23 points from a superb front nine, and then consolidated that with 19 from the back nine for an impressive winning score of 42.

Early starter Dean Rogers, who performed creditably in what was the worst of the weather, finished strongly to card 39 points and his score led the way for most of the day until the final group showed up, with Smith nudging him down into second place.

Bryan Colley, who knew that victory in the competition would also win him the Division One winter order of merit prize, had it in his grasp with a fantastic 22-point front nine. However he encountered trouble on Deer Park and finished with 38 points and third on the day, missing out on the winter order of merit trophy to Andy Thomas. Winner Smith said: “My short game was red hot. I held some tricky putts that kept my score together, the greens were rolling really well considering the weather and it is my first win in a long time.”

Resident Cleobury Mortimer professional Sam Pain added: “Dave is a very dangerous player off his handicap and this win is well deserved. You always see him practising on our short game area and it is great to see him getting the rewards.”

Also deserving of a mention in dispatches is Colin Hopewell, who took the winter order of merit prize in Division Two.

Meanwhile Craig Simmons and Andrew Porter have been named as Shropshire &?Herefordshire’s first and second-team players of the year for 2014.