SOMETIMES, lightning does strike twice. Don’t believe it? Just ask Russ Henry.

For years, the Festival of Britain has been passed from golfer to golfer, a succession of single-time winners.

But this weekend, the Furness Golf Club links served up a surprise – a two-times champion of the Evening Mail Open.

Henry triumphed on Walney in 2013 and history suggested that would be it, his one time in the spotlight. Certainly nobody at the presentations in the clubhouse on Saturday evening could remember a player taking the honours a second time.

Yet the 48-year-old Barrow Island machine operator did just that, carving out a nett round of 64 that saw him take the honours by a single stroke from home member Tom Atkinson.

It was a round forged on a strong outward five holes, built further on determination in the face of adversity – and a strong headwind – up the middle stretch and cemented with a final push to the last.

The 15-handicap Ulverston Golf Club member admitted his own shock at winning the prestigious trophy for a second time, though a gross front nine of 41 – with five straight pars and then a birdie to start – and a back nine of 38 were always going to have him in contention.

“I can’t believe I’ve won it once, I really can’t believe I’ve won it again,” said Henry, who was playing alongside brother Kevan.

“I’ve not been playing well this year, but today it just clicked and I didn’t hot any bad shots at all really.”

Looking back on his round, he added: “It was very steady. I set off and had five straight pars and then a birdie on six. That was when the worst of the weather was, but I scored well in the heavy rain.

“Then we turned into the wind and it all went a bit – it was six, six, six, six, I had had the number of the beast going on.

“The back nine was just steady again and I didn’t hit anything worse than a six all day.

“I thought the score would have a chance. But you could never tell, because the weather got better towards the end, the sun came out and there were still quite a lot to come in, but I knew it would be there or thereabouts.”

While it was a second time winning the Festival of Britain Trophy for Henry, Jon Clarke took the gross prize he has come close to making his own in recent years yet again.

His round of 69 came despite teeing off among the morning players who were hit by the sharp showers.

He set off well, moving to two under after five in the rain before trying to push on and build on that effort.

But those fours at the par five first and fifth – each time coming after he felt an eagle was there for the taking following a driver and three-iron combination from tee and fairway – were followed by two bogies and two birdies on the remaining holes.

He felt he had lefts shots out on the course, but nonetheless his total was enough for a two-shot victory over Ross Crawford in the gross standings.

“Without sounding terrible about it, 69 was probably the worst score I could have shot today,” said the 33-year-old Walneyite, who has been a member at Furness since he was a child.

“I hit it really well and holed a couple of all-right putts, but I missed so many other putts and hit a couple of bad shots. Four birdies and two bogies – it was all-right.

“I didn’t expect it would win. There were some good players out this afternoon and we’d been soaked for five holes as well, which probably held my scoring back a little bit.

“Standing on the sixth tee at two-under, I was happy with that, but I tried to push on and thought there could be another five or six birdies, but it didn’t happen today.”

In all 115 players took the fairways for the Evening Mail Open. Some had triumphed here before, some were looking for a first success. Only Russ Henry would taste victory for a second time.

EVENING MAIL OPEN RESULTS

1. Russ Henry (Ulverston), nett 64; 2. Tom Atkinson (Furness), nett 65; 3. Tony Kay (Furness), nett 67; 4. Isaac Caine (Furness), nett 67; 5. Dean Sharp (Furness), nett 68.

Best Gross: 1. Jon Clarke (Furness), 69; 2. Ross Crawford (Furness), 71.

Best Visitor: S Donaghey (Lansil), nett 69.

Nearest the Pin: Second: Dean Marwood (Furness); Sixth: Dean Sharp (Furness); 10th: R Game (Carus Green).