Midland Golf Union
Jack Swift and Charlotte Woodham crowned Midland U16 Champions at Hawkstone Park.
Jack Swift and Charlotte Woodham crowned Midland U16 Champions at Hawkstone Park.
Jack Swift (North Foreland) and Charlotte Woodham (West Hill) emerged as champions at the Midland U16 Boys Open Amateur Stroke Play Champion and the Midland U16 Girls Open Amateur Stroke Play Champion respectively at Hawkstone Park on 14th April 2023.
With tough conditions on both days, competitors battled the heavy rain and strong winds, the pair fought off all other contenders in a tense finish.
Jack Swift (North Foreland) finished on 215 (-1) with Harry Cox (Welwyn Garden City) just edging second place on 219 (+3) ahead of 4 players on 220 (+4) with count back applying based on the final round scores. Antoni Hawkins (Sandy Lodge) final round 71 bettered the final round 72 of Toby Peters (Thorpe Hall) and 73 by Spencer Davies (Wallasey). Round 2 leader Charlie Rusbridge (Colne Valley) carded a 79 in the final round. Louie Bloxham (Welwyn Garden City) and Joshua Thompson (Wentworth) finished 7th and 8th respectively on 221 (+5).
The Brian Purse Trophy, for the highest placed finish of a player from the Midland Counties, was won by Jack Emery (Woodhall Spa) on 224 (+8) just one shot ahead of Joe Austin (Links Golf Club) and a further shot clear of Theo Morris (Links Golf Club).
In the Girls competition Charlotte Woodham (West Hill) recorded three 74’s for a 222 (+4) finish to take the title by 10 strokes over Emily Peaford who burst through the field with a 70 in the final round to head two others on the same score. Serena Falzon Sant Manduca (Wentworth) and Lauren Crump (Hill Valley) also finishing on 232 (+14) a further shot clear of Isabel Negron Jennings (Llanymynech) and Olivia Wynne (Bourn).
The non qualifiers play a Stableford competition on the Hawkstone Course which were won by Harry Evans and Scarlett Phillips.
In a close competition Harry Evans (Gaudet Luce) won the Boys Stableford with 37 points, taking the title on count back from Lewis Karim (Bourn) and Tom Chapman (Littlestone). Corralis Delaney (Royal Lytham & St. Annes) took 4th place with 36 points and Ewan Mackenzie (Cottingham Parks) with the same score was awarded 5th place.
The Girls Stableford was equally close with Scarlett Phillips (Ferndown) edging out Maisie Halstead (Kenilworth), both girls finishing with 35 points. Taylor Hodgson (Long Ashton) was a shot further back on 34 ahead of Rebecca Wildey (Eden) and Millie Gait (Knowle) on 33 points.
The Regional Squads entered teams for the Regional Team Trophy. The overall winners were “Thames Valley Region” represented by Harry Cox and Louie Bloxham. The leading Girls Team were “South Region” represented by Charlotte Woodham, Emily Peaford and Annabel Peaford.
The first-round scores were entered into the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championships with lowest gross scores for Charlie Rusbridge (70) and Charlotte Woodham (74) being best of the day. Lowest Nett was George Gilgenkrantz (West Hove) with 68 and Charlotte Woodham (72).
The Midland Golf Union wish to thank competition sponsors ProDreamUSA for their support at the event. Also, thanks go to Alan Covey who started the event in 2015 and as always provides excellent support to all the players and officials throughout the competition. The help and support of all the staff at Hawkstone Park for the efficient way they look after all the players and supporters contributes to the running of the event. Finally, a special thank you to Ian George, head green keeper, along with all his team for the hard work they put into preparing the courses to a high standard so early in the season.
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