SEVENTH HEAVEN FOR YORKSHIRE BOYS

NEWS RELEASE FROM ENGLAND GOLF Yorkshire were in seventh heaven at Cotswold Hills as they won the English Boys County Championship at a canter by beating their closest rivals Staffordshire 7-2.  Hampshire finished third after a 5½-3½ victory over Devon.  It was Yorkshire’s seventh title success and seven years since they last got their hands on the trophy and they proved they were a class apart by completing a clean sweep of the other counties.  “We have not won this title for some time so to win it this year is important for the county,” said captain and coach Steve Robinson.  “I’m delighted for the team. It is a good young team for the future and we’ve got strength in depth.  “I’m also pleased for the coaches who helped develop these players. I said at the start of the week that you don’t get many opportunities to be national champions and we had to grasp it. We wanted it to be in our own hands and not to rely on someone else tripping up."  It was also a personal success for Robinson. He has  been the boys' coach since 1998. This was the fifth time he has led Yorkshire to the boys' title and he has also steered Yorkshire ladies to five successes. After Wednesday's miserable conditions of heavy rain and a cold, driving wind, the day was generally dry apart from the occasional shower. There was still a testing wind but the players enjoyed much kinder conditions and the golf reflected that. Although Yorkshire edged the foursomes 2-1, they took command in the singles, winning five of the six games. They wrapped up three early wins through Ben Brewster, Joe Dean and Nick Marsh to see them home but county champion Dan Brown, who completed a perfect six-wins-out-of-six, and Jonathan Thomson had to go to the final green to  seal narrow victories. Staffordshire, who were the only side who could have deprived the northern champions of the title, were left with the consolation of Cameron Long’s 3 and 2 victory over James Walker. But it was scant success in a tough week and their captain, Mike Tunnicliffe was spot on when he said: “We got flattened by a steamroller.” Having shared the morning foursomes, Hampshire put the pressure on in the singles, winning four of the games Jack Singh Brar and Devon’s Dan Rosevear were locked in combat for 12 holes before Singh Brar won the three of the next four to secure a 3&2 victory in the top game. Scott Gregory was always ahead against Matt Wells and added to Hampshire’s tally with a 4 and 3 win, while Charlie Manning ensured his side couldn’t lose by handing Ryan Pope his first defeat of the week, Manning being level par when the game finished 4 and 3 on the 15th green. Devon gained a point when Jacob Tinsley, their most successful player, turned a one hole deficit against Billy McKenzie into a 3 and 2 success with birdies at the 12th and 13th, but Jack Stubbington confirmed Hampshire’s overall victory when he beat Harry Flower 4 and 3. But Devon had the last laugh when Anthony McGeorge beat Jamie Mist on the final green. McGeorge raced 4-up after six holes only to see that lead gradually disappear until they were level after 14.  They came down 18 all square but McGeorge produced a magical shot from under a tree to a foot for a winning birdie. Manning was Hampshire’s most successful player with four points from five games, while Jacob Tinsley topped the Devon list with five-and-a-half points from six. Lynne Fraser Marketing and PR Manager Email: pr@englandgolf.org Tel: 01526 354500

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