The pairing overcame the challenge of Brian Coleman and Bill Kirby on countback after the top two each scored 42 points.

Sadler, playing on his own course, and Lockhart, a member at White Moss Golf Club in Perth, now qualify for the Grand Final to be held in Portugal and can look forward to three nights accommodation, two rounds of golf, a welcome party and a gala dinner on the Algarve.

1 John Sadler and Harry Lockhart 42pts cb, 2 Brian Coleman and Bill Kirby 42, 3 Phil Toon and Hugh Williams 41cb, 4 John Dallow and Barry Petricca 41cb, 5 Michael Warwick and Ray Jilks 41 cb.

* GOLFERS at Stoneleigh Deer Park savoured glorious conditions and a magnificent fund-raising day as the Nursing Fund for the Helen Ley Care Centre in Leamington was boosted by a staggering £7,400.

A record number of 29 teams of four took part in the 18th running of the tournament and it proved to be one of the best yet, with organiser Polly Lazenby overwhelmed at the generosity of all involved.

She said: “The support of local businessmen and many friends was just tremendous. The money will be used to help with transport to the home, purchase of specialised equipment plus an endless list of other essentials that will make the life easier and better for the nurses and patients.

“The Nursing Fund helps people suffering from multiple sclerosis and who cannot otherwise afford it to use the Care Centre.”

The winners were the quartet skippered by Stoneleigh’s John Hall (who has played in all 18 runnings of the tournament) and completed by his sons Nick and Toby plus Martin Cadman (Copt Heath). They took the title with a 95-point haul but had to go to countback to see off the challenge of Brian and Kath Coleman, Bill Kirby and Sam Lau.

* COVENTRY’S Andrew Carman is in the England line-up bidding to retain the Seniors Home Internationals title at Westport, County Clare, Ireland this week.

Carman joined forces in the six-strong squad with Douglas Arnold (Sussex), Geoff King (West Essex), Chris Reynolds (Kent), Philip Slater (Cheshire) and Andrew Stracey (Kent) making the same line-up that lifted the European title for the first time last month.

It was a real team effort in Ascona in Switzerland with all six players contributing to the 3-2 success over Sweden in the final.

Carman, won his first seniors cap in the Europeans, having been a full England international in 1979 and 1980. He played in his maiden seniors event in this year’s English Seniors Championship at Moor Park, finishing third and has since won the Midland seniors title.

With the boys and men’s Home International titles already safely in England’s grasp, the seniors will be hoping to complete the Grand Slam by taking the championship from the Irish who won at Tenby last year.

This will be the eighth year of the event following its inception in 2002 and England have won the title three times, the last at Caldy in 2007.

Algarve Car Hire