CROQUET NEWS:  British Open Won by Rutger Beijderwellen

5-12 July 2009
Hurlingham Club, London, England , UK
story by Leo Nikora
scores in Croquet Association News
commentary by Ian Burridge

Rutger Beijderwellen won the 2009 British Open Championship.

Rutger Beijderwellen of the Netherlands won the British Open. Chris Clarke of New Zealand was second, but had to withdraw from the finals because of a back injury. Robert Fulford of England and Reg Bamford of South Africa were tied for third place.

	Rank	Player
	#1	Chris Clarke
	#2	Robert Fulford
	#3	Reg Bamford
	#4	Rutger Beijderwellen
	#5	David Maugham
	#11	Stephen Mulliner
	#13	Keith Aiton
	#17	Robin Brown
	#18	Jonathan Kirby
	#19	James Death
	#20	Chris Farthing
	#25	Jeff Dawson
	#28	Marcus Evans
	#30	Tony Le Moignan
	#31	Leo McBride
	#37	Ian Burridge
	#38	James Le Moignan
	#42	Samir Patel
	#45	Mark Avery
	#60	Chris Patmore
	#90	David Bent
	#144	Jared Keeman
	#161	Dave Kibble

Knockout Play

Twenty three players from Burridge Swiss play qualified for Knockout play. Players needed five wins from a maximum of ten games to qualify. David Bent qualified from the United States of America.

Clark over Fulford +26tp –26sxp –16sxp +26tp +20tp

1. Fulford supershot 3 yards N 2 yards W of 5
2. Clarke 2 yards E of the peg
3. Fulford shoots hard at partner misses to N boundary in front of 1 back
4. Clarke hits from B baulk; Clarke makes hoop 1 with a break ahead of him. Clarke making MSL [Maugham Standard Leave].
5. Rob misses long shot with ball by hoop 2 down E boundary into corner 4.
6. Clarke has made hoop 1 a few more good shots, and he has a standard TP. Clarke on hoop 5 with a peel done and a standard position. Has to death roll after slightly misapproaching hoop 6. Clarke gets rover peel before 3 back. Clarke 1 Fulford 0

1. Clarke supershot 3 yards north of 5, 4 feet W.
2. Fulford to just S of corner 2.
3. Clarke strikes a good shot which misses leaving Rob a double. Chris says that his shot wasnt very close.
4. Rob hits. Rob rushes short of the supershot ball so no hoop 2 pioneer. Robs choice of corner 2 is coming in for some debate. Rob has 4 ball break at hoop 3. Rob making a one back leave.
5. Chris thinks the tea lady is reasonably flat. Chris misses tea lady by about a foot — never liked it.
6. Fulford gets 45 degree short peel after 2, calls for a Ref gets Hilditch. He must be trying to get it down to 2 back maybe hitting the wire to hold the strikers ball. Plays it really well gets the peel down to peg high. Fulford being really slow at least 3 minutes over the shot after the 1 back peel. Asks Chris if he can move the strikers ball out of an old hoop hole — shock horror Chris agrees. Fulford rushes to worse than death — no he hasnt can approach from in the jaws. Chris runs on to query it, Rob tells him its OK, so he goes and sits down again. After 4, Rob rushes into the escape ball for the 2 back peel before 5 this isnt going well. Rob goes for the peel before 5 in any case his rush to 5 will be almost non-existant. Rob goes for amazingly little of his 4 yard rush hits it perfectly and only has a one yard apporach from the side (he got the peel). 3 back before 6 bounces off in the direction of rover the rush isnt great either approaching from 4 yards almost straight. Doesnt get a rush south out of 6 this is really out of control now. 1 back pioneer is at the hoop Fulford rolling to peelee putting out a poor 2 back pioneer. Doesnt rush to peeling position gets it well positioned for before 2 back. Rob need to play a good croquet stroke to not rush peelee out of its already tight position. I think he has to run hoop 4 to make the roquet which he does and gets a 2 foot peel. Plays it in a way that could certainly have gone off the N boundary but as it is it barely gets half way to 4 back. Making 2 back under control the other ball in between 4 back and corner 3. Rob's rush to 4 back is shocking attempts to jaws from 50 degrees at 2 yards misses altogether makes 3 back with a 5 yard tonk down the lawn peelee is 5 feet E of the hoop and a little north. Rob has 1 yard straight 4 back peel escape ball in standard STP position other ball in 2 ayrds NE of the peg. Robs peel goes through 4 yards — its all on the rush to penult now — no cannon. I dont think he would have the rush again but the peel is still 7 or 8 feet at 10 degrees. Gets peel to beside the peg no rush to penult has to approach from 4 yards SE does it well to 1 yard straight. I think he is favourite again now. Rob puts out an adequate deep ball a good side ball and has 18 inch rush to rover peel is 4 feet 15 degrees too long to Irish I think. Goes through 5 yards runs hoop gently. Clarke 1 Fulford 1

1. Fulford supershot to 8 feet NW of 5.
2. Clarke hits it to near hoop 2. Plays good croquet stroke getting ball near corner 2 tries to go just out of corner 4 with the strikers ball but hits the corner.
3. Fulford misses from B baulk into corner 4.
4. Clarke hits from A baulk into corner 4. Chris has made 1 and rushed to corner 4. I cant see corner 4 but he seemed to have a good position but must have played a poor stroke getting a rush as a big cut sees him rush a ball to the middle of the N boundary — taking off to the ball near corner 2 now — not much space behind it. Slightly short will be able to cut it in a bit. Does well gets it 3 yards W of 2 good approach still a bit of work to do. Is making 3 with a ball 3 yards E of the peg. Clarke making MSL [Maugham Standard Leave] but initial attempt to place ball by hoop 2 looks poor. Clarke agrees the ball by hoop 2 needs tidying up after 2 back, probably a conventional NSL from here. Gets the ball on 3 back good rushes other oppo ball off the W boundary close to max length spot and rushes partner back to the E boundary and lays a rush approximately level with hoop 5.
5. Rob lifts the ball on the W boundary and dribbles it down to the end of A baulk. Hits the in lawn ball of Chris's rush. Rob makes hoop 1 with a rush. The 4 back ball is 5 yards N of hoop4 the hoop 2 pioneer is 6 yards S of hoop 2. Still not 100% clear what Rob is doing I reckon it will be a TPO. No its not the hoop 1 ball has gone to hoop 1 after hoop 2, making hoop 3 with the 4back going to hoop 4. Rob gets the POP before 5. Rob making his one back leave now doesnt look like he is able to make it with the hoop 2 ball having a noticeably longer shot. Oh no Ive got that wrong hes doing fine hoop 2 balls shot will be 7 yards longer.
6. Clarke plays the hoop 2 ball, likes it, watches it all the way, was still watching it when it missed, that must have been incredibly close, he didnt react as if it hilled off, was probably wanting a small hill to bring it on.
7. Rob appears to have good position for 1 back peel before 2. Rob gets 1 back peel before 2. Robs gets 2-back peel before 4. Rob has a funny rolly go at peeling 3back before 5, I think he was going for a jaws, but it has ended up 2 yards west of the hoop. Rob doesnt rush peelee in front for a go before 6. The one back pioneer is nicely placed in my view 3 yards S 1 yard E of hoop 2. Fulford peeling 3 back from 6” before 1 back peel ends between penult and 4 back 5 yard rush to 1 back — rushes into jaws. Rob setting up for 4 back peel before 3 back. Rob has only jawsed 4 back before 3 back probably isnt getting a rush out of 3 back either. Controlled straight double for Rob. Fulford pegs out. Fulford 2 Clarke 1.

1. Clarke puts out a supershot 3 yards past hoop 5 wrong ball smashes it back to baulk one handed. Places one of his balls on the end of B baulk.
2. Rob rushes to corner 2. Rob is near corner 4.
3. Chris has the correct ball for turn 3. Chris is shooting from B baulk at the ball near corner 4. Clarke hits, attempts to approach hoop1. Gets 6' straight hoop runs it hard no wire to 4 yards from corner 2. Clarke croquets a ball to 3 getting an excellent 2 ayrd rush to 2 rushes 3 yards E of 2 approaches to a foot. Runs hoop 2 off oppo ball on a 3 ball break. Clarke stops at 4back. 3 ducks [in a row leave] from Chris.
4. Rob is shooting from B baulk, misses badly 6-9” on the right.
5. Clarke has standard TP, making hoop 2. Clarke jawses rover before 2back. Fulford 2 Clarke 2

1. Fulford supershot with the correct ball to 4 yards NW of hoop 5.
2. Clarke hits hard from A baulk rushing to more or less max length spot on the W boundary. Clarke croquets a ball to corner 2 and goes near corner 4 (which I cant see).
3. ob shoots at partner near corner 2, missing, leaving a double of sorts.
4. Chris hits. I think that last miss of Robs will ensure a ball to 4back, if there was ever any doubt. Chris rushes perfectly from corner 2 to corner 4, and then to 2 yards from hoop1. Chris has a break at hoop 4. Clarke going to 4 back. Clarke making an MSL [Maugham Standard Leave], dont really know why this leave has been so in vogue this week. Clarke has finished, leave is perfect.
5. Rob strikes it well, and hits the in-lawn ball. Rob has established a break. Rob looks like he is playing the 1 POP [Peel OPponent], and sextuple turn. Rob gets the POP well before 4, does that enable him to do anything more clever than what we have seen so far? Doesnt look like Fulford has any tactical improvements up his sleeve.
6. Chris's shot with the hoop 2 ball is about 5 yards longer than the 4 back ball which is very near the hoop, and must be close to being hampered at shooting to 3rd corner. Clarke hits. The idea of that ball near hoop1 must be it doesnt rush to hoop 2. Clarke has to make hoop 2 off the oppo ball, leaving the peel ball at hoop 1, but returns well to it after 2 — this is in the bag. Clarke gets the first peel after 3. Clarke has penult peel after 6. Clarke gets rover peel going to 3 back. Clarke 3 Fulford 2

Beijderwellen over Bamford +26tp –16tp +20tp +4tpo

1. Rutger very long supershot 2 yards west of peg (slightly S of it)
2. Bamford to peg high on the E boundary
3. Rutger hits from B baulk rushing it near hoop 4, gets 2 and half yard rush straight at hoop 1. Slightly poor hoop stroke at an easy hoop 1 but gets away with it and has 3 ball break. Rutger misapproaches 2 back badly hoop looks difficult. He hits the stroke very hard as he said he would and bullies it through — very good shot. People on the nearby bench say they were glad they werent the ref which I hope isnt them politely saying that they thought it was a fault. It was very noisy but I think it was all mallet on hoop. Clarke and Kirby both think Rutgers shot at 2 back in the first was clean, which is a relief! 3 duck leave from Rutger.
4. Reg misses from B baulk.
5. Rutger establishes standard TP. Rutgers 4 back peel after 3 goes into the yard line area. Rutger fails penult peel after 6. Rutger gets death roll peel through well. Rutger gets rover before 3 back. Rutger 1 Bamford 0

1. Bamford supershot 4 yards N 4 feet W of hoop 5.
2. Rutger to just S of corner 2.
3. Bamford misses from B baulk leaving Rutger a double (not as big as the one Rob had though).
4. Rutger has a restalk slightly windy dont think it is strong enough to be the reason. Has a third stalk due to a spectator walking across and then standing on his line. Dreadful contact with his mallet snicks the edge of the double the spectator, child and dog go on their merry way. Rutger plays a poor cannon isnt going to have much of a hoop 2 pioneer either. Rutger has 4 ball break at hoop 3. Rutger making MSL [Maugham Standard Leave]. Rutger has to place ball on 3 back from 4 feet, overhits it virtually wide open from A baulk I think he might separate. Reg has 80-90% of the ball by 3 back, Rutger not separating. Rutger does decide to separate going to W boundary max distance spot.
5. Reg spending a long time thinking about this. I think it is about to rain. Reg lifts blue and is shooting down the West boundary. Reg hits absolutely centre ball. Rushing it into corner 2. Reg plays an excellent shot rushing the ball on hoop 2 to Rutgers hoop 1 ball on the E boundary. Reg makes hoop 1 and has a break. Reg looks like he is playing for a POP [Peel OPonent] before 5 and a one back leave. Reg has his POP. Reg has done well, the hoop 2 balls tea lady is 6 yards longer than the 4 back ball.
6. Rutger playing with the hoop 2 ball, likes it, but just misses.
7. Bamford making hoop 1 with peelee at hoop 2 and a potential escape ball for peeling before 2 should he wish. Reg gets 1 back peel before 2. Bamford peeling 3 back going to 1back hit 3back with the strikers ball bouncing off to close to hoop5 wired from the 1 back pioneer so had to join near 3 back where the peelee ended up. Rutger hit from 3 to 2 with the hoop 2 ball rolled the 4 back ball to 3 going toReg's balls but missed a six yarder at them which Reg is now finishing from straight rover peel to do. Bamford learning from yesterday has a deep ball for his straight rover peel. Bamford 1 Rutger 1.

1. Rutger supershot 1 yard SW of peg.
2. Bamford 5 feet SE of peg.
3. Rutger 8 feet E of Regs ball.
4. Bamford misses the 3rd ball on from A baulk.
5. Rutger makes hoop 1 with a rush. Rutger at hoop 4 on a 4 ball break. Rutger making MSL [Maugham Standard Leave]. Rutger has his MSL this time.
6. Reg lifts the ball by hoop 2 and goes to A baulk. Flicks the boundary ball, has probably cut it into the lawn. Bamford trying the 1 POP and 1 back leave turn too both games in virtually the identical position Reg about 10 mins behind. Reg gets his POP before 5.
7. Rutgers shot with his hoop 2 ball about 6 yards longer. Rutger shooting with hoop 2 ball hits ball in corner 3 looked good the moment he struck it. Rutger rushes poorly to 2 approaching from 5 yards west. Approaches to about 4 feet 10 degrees runs it to the boundary. Has made it off partner so a bit of work to do for a standard triple. Isnt going to bother with a messy go after 3 partner going to hoop 4. Rutger fails to rush to peeling position after 4 so it will be a standard delayed TP for him from a perfect position as he makes hoop 5. Rutger gets first peel before 6. Rutger setting up a delayed double. Doesnt get rush looks like a 20 yard roll to the peelee, play it OK. Rutger attempts a 3 yard angled penult peel after rushing from 2 back which looks like a good idea when it goes through by 3 yard. Penult peel to 3 yards from rover. Rutger arranges his rush to the peg. Bamford 1 Rutger 2

1. Reg has supershot 2 yards NW of hoop5.
2. Rutger goes just out of corner 2.
3. Reg hits from B baulk. Reg makes hoop 1, has croquet beside it with a ball 8 yards N of him, gets good rush to 2, and a ball 5 yards from hoop 3. Runs hoop 2 off oppo ball on a 3 ball break. Reg stops at 3back. 3 ducks [in a row leave] from Reg. Reg opts for the east boundary for his two balls on the maximum length spot.
4. Rutger is shooting from A baulk, his last shot at the tea lady looked imperious, hits (was worried was hilling off).
   Rutger plays first croquet stroke quickly, and badly gets rush to one, but tries to take it to the other ball, and is way short, has 9 yard take off to get rush to 1, plays it well, leaving a ball 3 yards SW of 6. Rush is no better than adequate to 2, yards N of 1. Poor take off, but runs 2' 45 degree hoop with a forward rush. Rutger looks like he is playing for the QPO [Quadruple Peel of Opponent]. Does very well to get the 3back peel before 4. Rutger has put the clip on 4back, presumably he is going to have a one back leave now. Is going to be a pretty good 1back leave with the 4back ball having a 5 yard shorter shot.
5. Bamford misses with his hoop1 ball.
6. Rutger has a sextuple for a place in the final of the Open Championship, perfect position making hoop 1. Rutger elects to not peel before 2, has perfect position after 2. Rutgers first peel only goes through by inches. Rutger makes 3 off the 4 back ball and elects to set up a take off peel going to the ball just through one back the other ball is good at hoop 4. Think it will be the TPO [Triple Peel of Opponent] now, trying to get one more peel on partner. He appears to have cross wired himself only jawsing the peel. Oh no he can hit it put certainly a very risky line he put the strikers ball down. Rutger going bonkers. Putting partner (for 2back) to 2back after 5 getting a rush on the penult ball to in front of penult which I think he intends to peel before 6 (the other ball is perfectly alongside 6). Decides to make 6 and do the peel afterwards getting a rush to 1 back — full marks for ingenuity and guts. Rutger gets the peel and his rush. Im enjoying this turn — he has looked clearly the weakest player on show until now but if he can end this turn with 2 off 1 plays 4 back it will be as good as anything else we have seen. Rutgers played a few good shots and has a good position at 2 back. Rutger doing slightly dodgy 3' straight peel of partner through 2 back. I think he might have quite a high heart rate at the moment. The TPO ball is 18” in front of rover. Looks like he has decided to play it. Thinking again. He is 95% certain to be fine but it is the only thing between him and the TPO. Rutger gets the peel by a few inches — perfect. Rutger gets the rover peel of the TPO going to 3back. 1 more peel for Rutger should be easy, can he get 2. I dont really think he can do that and get a leave. Rutger doesnt quite rush partner into peeling position at 3 back after 4 back. Will have to settle for peeling going to rover. Rutger fails 3back peel going to rover, but has the peg ball over there for another go. Rutger jawses the 3 back peel before the peg, deliberately I think. Rutger pegs 2 out. That was a top turn, but it is not winning; will he live to regret not going all out for the sextuple? I reckon hes only about 80% from here.
7. Reg takes off from the jaws (not peeling it), and gets a 4 foot 40 degree hoop. Takes 6” position.
8. Rutger is 4 yards straight in front of 3 back, and takes better position (1 foot).
9. Reg runs to 5 foot 30 degree position at hoop 2, runs it. Long think from Bamford goes 8 yards E of corner 2 on the N boundary.
10. Rutger improves his position.
11. Reg deems.
12. Rutger improves.
13. Reg deems with a hand gesture Rutger doesnt see.
14. Rutger runs to 3 yards straight 4 back. Restalks potentially biggest hoop of his life, runs it really well. Rutger goes to max length on W boundary.
15. Reg misses from A baulk.
16. Rutger goes between 4 and 5.
17. Reg goes 2 yards from 3 but cant run it.
18. Rutger goes to corner 2.
19. Reg takes good position at 3.
20. Rutger goes to N boundary in front of 2.
21. Reg takes better position.
22. Rutger moves a foot.
23. Regs gets himself in the middle of the jaws.
24. Rutger moves 3 yards E.
25. Reg runs to 4 yards straight position at 4; he needs to run this. Through to the boundary.
26. Bamfords position at 5 is 2 yards 30 degrees.
27. Rutger gets 2 yards straight position at penult.
28. Reg runs to 2 yards S of peg open on Rutgers ball, hits it in the middle to the end of B baulk. Take off to 6 gives 3 yard straight hoop. Runs it W of the ball on the N boundary. [Ian Burridge has to leave. Tony Le Moignan takes over.] And after running rover to the south boundary, misses the 4/5yd return and ends up in C3.
29. A bit more faffing, and now reg is approaching 4b from 4yds southwest of the peg. And reg gets 2 yd position at 4b with oppo in perfect position for rush to pen after thrash through. And doesn't thrash through!!
30. Rutget hits and wins.

Fulford over McBride +11tpo

1. Fulford supershot 3 yards NW of 5
   
2. McBride blue peg high on E boundary
   
3. Fulford misses 5 yards south of blue
   
4. McBride misses into corner 4
   
5. Fulford hits 5 yarder rushes well to 1 controlled 3 ball break; Fulford makes 1 back leave
6. Leo hits tea lady has 4 ball break under control at hoop 3; diagonal spread from McBride 1 back ball by the peg.
7. Rob has perfect double with his hoop 1 ball at Leos balls. Decides to take it – hits. Must be because it was E-W. The N-S E-W stats are amazing if you count short lifts as E-W I think we have about 6 NS missed and 0 hit and 4 E-W hit and 1 missed. The bigs boys seem obsessed that it is to do with lawn flatness but arenet EW shots generally just a lot shorter? Rob makes hoop 1 under control off the 1 back ball — TPO I presume. I've got something right for once — will be looking for 2 peels on partner. Rob plays deliberately to swap balls at hoop 4 approaching putting Leo's ball to 5 running 4 to partner. What clever thing is he doing? I dont think we will find out as he plays a few poor shots and finds himself in the middle of the W boundary off partner rolling to peelee — Leos hoop 1 ball is the hoop 5 pioneer. Rushes the peel ball into hoop 3 has to take off to hoop 5 leaving it there. Now has his 1 back ball 3 yards W of hoop 3 making hoop 6 from 2 yards E off peelee leos hoop 1 ball between 6 and 2. Hits peelee to N boundary running hoop 6 hard. Swapping those balls doesnt look like a good idea if you dont play the shots involved well! Rob has controlled position again making 2 back off partner with peelee rush peelable. Plays the difficult rush peel to peeling position for rover going to 3 back skill or lucky depending on your view point. Fails peel. Straight rover peel. Two off with partner on E boundary with hoop 4 in the way of approaching hoop 1.
8. Leo gets 5 yard hoop1 with the other ball 4 yards S of hoop 2 bounces off to between 5 and the peg.
9. Rob takes 1 yard position
10. Leo goes to S boundary between hoops 4 and 5 (not many supporters for that)
11. Rob takes 6” position wired.
12. Leo goes to the middle of the E boundary — a more popular choice
13. Rob runs 1back with no wire to S of 2-back goes to 8 yards N of corner 2
14. Leo takes 1 foot position — Rob can see it — double with 2back in fact
15. [Rob] Goes to 4 yards west to corner 4
16. Leo runs hoop and takes wired position behind hoop 1
17. Rob shoots at whatever he can see bouncing off to middle of W boundary
18. Leo misses to N of Robs ball.
19. Rob rolls to 5 foot position at 2 back with Leos ball on the S boundary. Fails it badly to a yard NW
20. Leo hits it to peg high between 1 and 2 roll up goes 2 yards E of hoop 2 retreats to wired position on W boundary.
21. Fulford takes wiring lift and takes position at 2back
22. Leo Takes position
23. Rob runs 2 back takes 5' position at 3 back
24. Leo runs 2 — popular choice is to gamble with position at 3 as your best chance of winning if Rob fails 3back. Goes to N boundary between 1 and 6 — not popular
25. Fulford improves position
26. Leo moves to middle of N boundary!
27. Rob runs hoop to 5 yards from Leos ball. Rob finishes (bouncing off the peg to get a rush to rover after penult — oozing skill!)