Hat trick man… Levante’s Frank Carroll

LEVANTE’s President Frank Carroll has been celebrating after notching a hat trick of victories in one round at Oliva Nova. In the society’s Autumn Trophy – a 36-hole medal competition in which the first round was played the previous week at La Sella – players once again had to cope with near gale force winds. Repair work on Oliva’s greens added to the problems and produced high scoring. But Frank’s steady play meant he successfully defended the one shot lead he held after the first round.

At the start no fewer than 18 players were within four shots of Frank but the strongest challenges on the day came from Martin Gates and Clive Wright. Frank’s 36-hole total of net 155 saw him finish one ahead of Martin and two ahead of Clive.

The Autumn Trophy is open to both divisions and the competition also includes separate 18-hole events.

And that gave Frank another winning performance as his net score of 77 also won him the day’s Second Division prize, two shots ahead of Roger Miller and Barry Webb.

What made Frank’s performance even more special is that he was also playing in the final of Levante’s Syd Smith Trophy Plate competition – a singles knockout format.

It is often difficult to combine medal play and matchplay but Frank’s steady play saw him complete the hat trick of wins with a 4&3 victory over Fred Betteridge.