Inspired Spires hit the heights

A golf team from Spires Academy in Canterbury triumphed in an inter-school competition at Manston Golf Course. Kurt Bryant, 14, and Cameron Leitch, 15, dominated the tournament as they finished ahead of 11 other Kent schools with a score of seven over par. Bryant has seen his handicap cut from 12 to 10 after an impressive performance in the club’s medal competition, which resulted in him achieving the order-of-merit award from Manston Golf Course. Spires Academy’s team were the only Canterbury district school taking part, with opponents coming mainly from Thanet. The academy recently forged a partnership with Boughton Golf Club, where pupils have been receiving tips from their head golf professional, Greg Haenen. Chris Wallis, assistant viceprincipal at Spires, said: “I would like to congratulate all the boys on their achievements and for the leap forward they have made in the quality of golf they are playing. “It is thanks to the support of Boughton Golf Club that the academy’s golf first team is going from strength to strength.” Other pupils who have benefited from the partnership are Owen Fagg, 13, and Kieron Collins, 15, whose handicaps were cut from 24 to 20 and from 12 to 10 respectively. Former Canterbury member Steven Tiley just missed out on qualifying for the Open at Royal Cinque Ports on Tuesday. Playing on his home course in the final qualifier, Tiley, 32 finished in a three-way tie for fourth after a two-under total following rounds of 69 and 71 on the par-71 layout saw him finish just three shots behind the three qualifiers from the 72-man field.