French boy wins English U14 open title

 

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Joseph Linel became the fourth Frenchman to lift the Reid Trophy when he closed with a two-over par 74 to win the English Boys’ U14 open stroke-play championship at Trentham Golf Club, Stoke-on-Trent today.

The big-hitting 13-year-old from Biarritz posted a six-under par 54-hole aggregate of 210 but was still made to fight all the way by defending champion Hugh Adams from Hagley Golf Club in Worcestershire.

Adams closed with a four-under-par 68 to get within three shots of catching the tall Frenchman.

It also proved to be a good final day for Harry Malin from Bognor Regis. He fired four birdies over his last nine holes to card a 70 and finish tied for third place alongside Doncaster’s Joshua Berry on two-under par 214.

Harley Smith from the Rayleigh Golf Club in Essex performed well in both the McGregor Trophy and Carris Trophy in what is his first season playing in England Golf events and he did it again by finishing with a 68 to share fifth place with Huddersfield’s Dylan Shaw-Radford on level par 216.

Italy’s Lorenzo Lombardozzi also shot a 68 to finish in a share of seventh place alongside compatriot Luca Memeo and Prestbury’s Frank Kennedy two shots further behind.

Linel started the final day with a five-shot lead after opening rounds of 66 and 70 but bogeyed the first hole on his way to carding his highest score of the championship.

“I didn’t play as well today but my chipping was good which helped me,” he said. “I’m very happy. This is the biggest tournament I have ever won.”

The previous French winners of the Reid Trophy were Stanislas Gautier (2007) Antoine Kuoch (2013) and Alexandre Lasalarie (2015).