Stoneham's Alan Mew won his first Hampshire PGA major' title when he defeated Eddy Rawlings (ER Golf Schools) in the final of the ERIF UK Matchplay Championship at Marriott Meon Valley Hotel and Country Club.

Mew reached the final after wins over Darren Lovegrove, James Ablett and James Pitcher, while Rawlings had defeated Roger Tuddenham, Bruce Parker and defending ERIF Champion David Porter.

Aided by an outrageous chip-in at the fourth Rawlings raced to a three-hole lead as the final unfolded. Mew reduced the deficit with a six foot birdie putt at the sixth and later squared the match by winning the 13th and 16th holes.

Mew's ten foot birdie putt at the seventeenth gave him the lead for the first time and, after Rawlings had holed from ten feet for a birdie at the 18th, Mew calmly holed his three foot birdie putt for a one-hole victory.