KEIGHLEY Golf Club had the honour of hosting the Bradford Union’s first event following their prestigious end of season competitions.

The Interclub Foursomes Championship and the Amateur Matchplay finales were held at Cleckheaton on the same day, with South Bradford’s Andrew Busfield and Oliver Tasker triumphing in the former, and Paddy Young beating his brother in the latter’s showpiece.

That bumper occasion was a fitting one for what was effectively the end of competitive golf in 2023 for the Union, with the club Alliance events filling the autumn and winter months.

And 10 days after those two finals, Keighley hosted their own Alliance event at the club.

The best home finishers were David Jackson and Peter Clayton, who ended up in ninth place.

The duo came even closer to success at the Shipley Alliance a few days later, coming third behind winners Garry Wilkinson and Christopher Ellis, and runners-up Mark Gallon and Pete Pilgrim.

Home players Malcolm Whitaker and Martin Janes came 15th in the Keighley Alliance event, while Simon Tabel, Keighley member and the current Bradford Union president, finished 17th alongside Chris Lonsdale.

Keighley News: Simon Tabel was competing in his home Alliance event.Simon Tabel was competing in his home Alliance event. (Image: UGC.)

But there was no stopping the supremely talented Ben Rhodes of Bracken Ghyll Golf Club, who won alongside team-mate Jonathan Brooks.

Former Bradford Open winner Rhodes, who turned professional at the start of the 2022 season, helped his pairing to win by one from Jamie Mountain and Darren Wallis of Hollins Hall Hotel & Country Golf Club.

It was undoubtedly a tricky tournament, with significantly more double bogeys recorded than birdies.

Union president Tabel was back in action on Sunday, as he took part in the Presidents Invitation Day, coming sixth alongside Simon Milnes and Rob Jennings of East Bierley Golf Club.