David Hayes is at it again. The winner of the President’s Putter in 2003 and 2006 and a semi-finalist in the intervening years, is playing golf that is considerably brighter than the drab weather that has settled over Rye this week. For that matter, so is Charlie Rotheroe. It would be no surprise to see these two classy amateurs fighting for a place in tomorrow’s final.

Rotheroe had settled his outstanding business with Iain Henderson by the time most people were having breakfast. They arrived at 7.15, had a cup of coffee and a sandwich and started at 7.45. Conditions were not ideal. “It was darker when we started this morning than when we had finished the night before,” Rotheroe reported. On the 11th green, their 20th, where 20 hours earlier Henderson had holed a 30-footer for a birdie, he charged his first putt past the hole and missed the return.

A word of warning for Rotheroe’s opponents. Hold on to your hat over the outward nine holes. They inspire the 1996 and 1997 winner. On Thursday and yesterday he covered them in an approximate 31 each time against a par 34. He was two down with four holes to play against Duncan Reid in the third round and came back to win by hitting some high-quality golf shots. There was a two-iron to six feet at the 6th, a 15-foot putt on the 7th and then after he had got back to level on the 8th, he hit a magnificent drive through the gloaming to within a couple of feet on the 9th to win by one hole.

Lisa Webster gave admirable support to her husband. Beaten comfortably in the third round by Andy Edmond, who had won in 1983, Webster put her clubs down, went in search of Matthew Webster and hoisted his clubs onto her back and caddied for him for the remaining holes of his match. At that time, Webster needed all the help he could get. He was three down with four holes to play against Minnow Powell, the Society captain. Inspired by the presence of his wife, Webster raised his game and eventually squeaked home on the 19th.

The Reverend Mark Bonney was beaten not so much at Pentecost as by. Peter Pentecost joined the Society in 1976 and he and Bonney have played in every Putter since – 29 for Bonney, 31 or 32 for Pentecost.

Those in Scotland may have found the timing of this year’s Putter to be too close to Hogmanay but Bonney, who is a canon at Salisbury Cathedral, finds the first few days of a new year to be less difficult than some. “The Putter was in our prenup agreement,” he said, grinning, as he watched Pentecost defeat Andrew Dodds and win through to play Edmond.

“It’s not quite so difficult for me to get away now I’m in Salisbury,” Bonney said. “I have to be back by Sunday, the 6th, so I shall leave tomorrow and miss the Society dinner. Sunday is Epiphany you know.”