Holmes crowned champ
GREG HOLMES is the new Lancashire County Boys champion after a commanding performance in tricky conditions at Nelson Golf Club.
The 16-year-old, who plays out of Royal Birkdale GC, was the only player in the field to break par in both rounds.
He followed up a 69 over the opening 18 holes in the morning – one under par – to go one shot better and secure a six-shot success with a combined total of three-under-par 137.
Runner-up was Grady Rogerson (Royal Lytham & St Annes), the only other player under par in the morning with a matching 69.
But the 2016 Lancashire Under-16s champion was unable to keep the pressure up on Holmes in the afternoon as he mustered a 74 to finish on 143 for the championships, organised by the Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs.
A testing breeze made scoring conditions awkward on a bright day but after Holmes and Rogerson traded scores at the halfway point, it was Holmes who made the break after lunch with birdies at three of the first four holes.
However his round wobbled round the turn as he stumbled to bogeys at nine, ten and eleven.
But the teenager rallied superbly over the closing holes, a neat up and down on the par five 15th bringing him a tension-easing birdie. He needed an even better recovery on the par three next to escape with a par from wide of the green.
He capped his success with a grandstand finish, pitching to six inches at the 18th for a tap-in birdie and the title.
“This was one of the events I had targeted for this year,” said the plus one player, a regular in the Lancashire Boys team, who played in a preseason friendly for the full county team, “so it is nice to win it.
“The wind did make things tricky. After making such a good start in the afternoon, I think I relaxed a little too much so I was pleased to play solidly coming in.”
Holmes won both the men’s scratch competitions last year, at the age of 15, at Royal Birkdale and his hometown club Wigan, where he is still a member.
Next target is his GCSE exams before he turns his attentions to golf once more and a date at Open qualifying at Fairhaven as he continues to widen his golfing education.
Rossendale successfully defended their title as Champion Club through Harry Lord and Alex James and will represent Lancashire at the English finals at Woodhall Spa GC, headquarters of England Golf.
A strong field also included what organisers believe is a first – with three brothers taking part. The Holland brothers are from Mawdesley, near Ormskirk, and play out of South- port & Ainsdale Golf Club. James, 17, plays off one as does 15-year-old George, with both featuring in the Lancashire Boys’ squads, while Charlie is 13 and has a handicap of just nine and is a member of the Lanca- shire U14s squad. Waiting in the wings are younger brothers Harry, 10, and Jude, 7.