TRURO'S Billy Downing was in superb form when he took the honours in the final event in the Winter Golf Series, sponsored by Truro & Penwith College Golf Academy, at Perranporth on Sunday.

The 18-year-old England junior international carded a one under par 37 Stableford points to win by four shots from home player John Hancock, with Newquay's Aaron Stephens third on 32 just ahead of series co-organiser Jon Coleman (West Cornwall) on countback.

Fourteen-year-old county junior Conor Warne (Carlyon Bay), playing off a handicap of four, took the top net prize with 36 points.

The overall winner of the series' Order of Merit was Welsh international Ben Westgate, who played in all four tournaments and recorded the best three finishes. Coleman's fourth place finish at Perranporth saw him secure second place ahead of St Enodoc's Joe Cruse in third place.

The Winter Golf Series has proved a big success with 54 players competing throughout the winter months, 20 of whom completed three rounds or more.

After the Perranporth event the team to take on the Cornish professionals at Trevose on Easter Monday with a 1pm start, was announced. It comprises the top eight in the Order of Merit plus two wild cards.

Amateurs' team: Ben Westgate (Trevose), Jon Coleman (West Cornwall), Joe Cruse (St Enodoc), Billy Downing (Truro), Anthony Nash (Newquay), Josh Greenaway (St Enodoc), Richard Ackland (Trevose), Aaron Stephens (Newquay), Nick Gammon (Trevose, wild card), Steve Chapman (St Enodoc, wild card).

Meanwhile, the team of professionals that will do battle with the amateurs in the Easter Monday showdown has been announced by Cornwall golf development officer Simon Wood.

The professionals have been running their own Order of Merit throughout the winter, though the final event at Perranporth last Sunday had to be cancelled. After four events, Killiow's Richard Sadler emerged as the overall winner from Grant Slater (Trevose).

Professionals' team: Richard Sadler (Killiow), Grant Slater (Trevose), Gary Lenaghan (Trevose), Russell Binney (St Austell), Tony Pitts (St Austell), Paul Turpin (Carlyon Bay), Scott Richards (Cape Cornwall), Sam Cullen (Newquay), Dominic Rehaag (China Fleet), Wayne Graham (Hayle Driving Range).

●Looe pair John Nicholls and Brian Hodge took the amateur award at the latest meeting of the Cornwall County Professional Golfers' Alliance at China Fleet last week, just pipping Truro's Dave Kneebone and Spike Drew on countback after both pairs carded 42 Stableford points.

Results. Amateurs – 1, John Nicholls & Brian Hodge (Looe) 42 pts; 2, Dave Kneebone & Spike Drew (Truro) 42; 3, Brian Liggat (Lanhydrock), playing with his club pro Richard O'Hanlon, 41; 4, Martin Bullock (Lanhydrock), playing with Trevose pro Grant Slater, 41; 5, Dave Holland (Falmouth), playing with Trethorne pro Jamie O'Hara, 39; 6, Peter Risely (Mullion) & Jimmy Foy (China Fleet) 39; 7, Chris Watkins (Carlyon Bay), playing with his club pro Mark Rowe, 38. Team professionals – 1=, Richard O'Hanlon & Grant Slater 41 pts; 3, Jamie O'Hara 39. Individual professionals – 1, Richard O'Hanlon 37 pts; 2, Richard Sadler (Killiow) 34; 3=, Jamie O'Hara, Nick Rogers (Falmouth), Grant Slater 33.

● Truro's Welsh international Rhys Enoch finished in a tie for seventh place after helping his East Tennessee State University team to victory in the General Jim Hackler Invitational intercollegiate event at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Monday.

The 21-year-old lies in fourth place going into the final day of the event after shooting rounds of 73 and 71 for a 36-hole level par total of 144. He started the final round with two birdies and was out in one under par 35. But two double bogeys on the back nine saw him slip to a 75 for a finishing score of three over par 219, just four shots behind the joint winner and ETSU team-mate Seamus Power. Enoch returns to competitive action in the next intercollegiate event at Awendaw, South Carolina, on Sunday, March 28.

● St Enodoc will be hoping to upset the form book and win their first ever Cornwall Team Championship when they face defending champions and favourites Trevose in the final at Perranporth on Sunday. The final gets under way at 8am.

● An urgent request from CLCGA competition secretary Cynthia Penhale has gone out for more entries for the mixed foursomes event at Newquay on Sunday, March 28.

To date she has only received 15 entries for the event, so more mixed pairs are being urged to come forward to swell the numbers for this competition. Cynthia can be contacted on 01579 384595.