Gloucester boys add to county's success on the Bracken
12th August 2013Being off big numbers didn’t prove a handicap to Gloucester’s youngsters, if fact it helped them to come out on top comfortably in the Junior Champion Club over the Bracken course at Woodhall Spa.
Their line-up of 17-year-old twins, Edward and Will Andrews, and Tom Bebber added 76 Stableford points to their opening round 86 for a tally of 162, which no one came close to matching.
The trio finished seven points ahead of runners-up Ifield from Sussex with Breadsall Priory from Derbyshire third on 154.
The victory meant Gloucester, with a combined handicap of 58, became the third club from their county to win the title in 12 years of the event, following the triumphs of Knowle in 2006 and 2008. On top of that, St Edwards School from Cheltenham won the English Schools Team Championship over the same circuit a few weeks earlier so the Bracken is becoming a happy hunting ground for Gloucestershire sides.
The club’s junior organiser Colleen Seymour, also the club secretary, said: “I am completely overwhelmed with what the boys have done. This is a big fillip for the club.”
A stiff breeze made conditions more testing than on the previous day while the already tricky greens had hardened, but it didn’t blow Gloucester off course and their second day 76 was equalled only by the Stoke Park threesome.
Will Andrews, off 23 handicap, amassed 38 points as did 19-handicap Bebber to give Gloucester their winning total, while Edward Andrews’ 34, off 16, did not count.
The ironic thing about Gloucester’s success was that they did it without their junior captain Shay Morgan, who left himself out of their line-up because he was out of form, Bebber taking his place.
“After what the boys have done, leaving myself out was the best thing I could have done,” he said. “I thought we might have a chance but I didn’t take anything for granted before we arrived here.
“But after the boys scored 86 points in the first round I really felt confident. But I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”
Edward Andrews was just bemused with what he and his team-mates had achieved. “I can’t believe it and it is going to take some time to sink in,” he admitted.
“Our club only has ten junior members which I believe is one of the smallest in Gloucestershire and in this competition and our lowest junior handicap is nine. “After what we’ve done I’m expecting the red carpet when we get back,” he joked.
Ifield began the second round in third spot but Louis Harrison, off eight, and five handicap Charlie Hilton both returned 37 points to climb into second place, while 43 points from five handicap William Davidson and 37 from Samuel Capewell, off 18, steered Breadsall Priory into the prizes.
The second round had none of the highlights of the first which contained an albatross and a hole-in-one. Harry Burt, from the Wrekin, who achieved the albatross, took bogey on his second visit to the fourth hole, while Tom Fenton from Bramall Park, the ‘ace’ boy of round one, secured a par three in round two.