Hererfordshire on verge of English

boys' title

FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Hertfordshire are poised to win the English boys' county finals for the first time in 17 years. After completing their second victory by beating Derbyshire 6½ - 2½, they need just a draw with Cumbria to finish as champions.
In the other match, Gloucestershire bounced back from a defeat against Hertfordshire by beating Cumbria 6-3 and need at least a victory over Derbyshire to get their hands on the title.

The morning foursomes looked like ending in a second clean sweep for Hertfordshire but Derbyshire claimed a half to deny them full points. Nevertheless, the South-east champions were determined to stay on course but they suffered a setback when English under 18 Champion Callum Shinkwin lost the top single against fellow boy cap Nick Newbold by 3 and 2.

However, they soon got over this and with Luke Colgate beating Josh Thorley for his fourth win in two days, and Tomasz Anderson beating Craig Young, they were back on course.

They looked like securing two more successes with Will Chambers and Ben Smith ahead in the closing stages. But Chambers lost a 3-up lead to Joe Biggs and had to settle for a half as did Smith, who was 4-up against Alex Weare with five to play but again saw victory slip away. In fact, Weare reeled off three successive birdies from the 15th while a half in par fours on the last shared the spoils.

The bottom game also went to Hertfordshire through Sam Cutting, who was all-square with Jamie Boler with four to play but won the 15th and 17th for a 2 and 1 win.

After losing their opening match to Hertfordshire, Gloucestershire were determined to come out on top against Cumbria and after edging the foursomes 2-1 they did just that.

The top single featured England caps in Seb Crookall-Nixon for Cumbria against Oscar Sharpe and the latter made the better start, two birdies steering him to a 3-up lead after five holes. They reached the turn with Sharpe 2-up but his form dipped on the back nine as Crookall-Nixon won the 11th and 12th, the latter with a birdie three to get back to all-square. They halved the 15th and 17th in birdies and there was nothing to separate them at the end.

However, Gloucestershire were boosted when Tyler Hogarty romped to a 7 and 5 win over Chris Thursby while their victory was completed by Sam McPherson and Sam Sullivan. Sullivan was all-square with Oliver Carr after 16 holes but birdied the 17th then a par at the last was good enough for a 2-hole victory.

McPherson got home by one hole yet was 5-up against Dan Park after 11 holes. But the Cumbrian then launched an amazing run of eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie to cut the deficit to one, while a bogey-five left them level. But the effort seemed to deflate Park who bogeyed the long 17th while a half in par fours at the last saw McPherson take the match.
However, Cumbria gained a point through Keiran Waters while Ryan Pearson, in his first match of the week, gained a half with Jordan Williams.

So the stage is set to a thrilling climax to what is shaping up to be another close encounter by four teams of talented youngsters.