Charlie, 16, wins superb double
CHARLIE Box (Beedles Lake) has been crowned the new county boys’ stroke and match play champion, writes Jennifer Prentice.
Box, 16, won the 36-holes strokeplay championship with rounds of 74-67 for his one-under-par-141 aggregate at Kibworth GC.
He was the only golfer to finish under par and won by two strokes from Frazer Jones (Kirby Muxloe), who had 70-73-143 for his one over total.
William Plant (Cosby) finished third after his two 73 cards for 146.
Twenty-four hours later, Box was one of the leading eight boys to challenge for the match play championship over the same course.
In the semi-finals, Box was 1-up against his clubmate Ethan Bell while, in the other match, Jones won by 2 and 1 against county boys’ captain Sam Haynes-Coote, who was playing on his home course.
This set up a showdown between Box and Jones, the defending match play titleholder, in the 18-hole final.
Box, who was runner-up to Jones last season, ran out the winner on this occasion by a 3 and 2 margin after a final played in gusty but dry conditions.
Box was one down at the turn, but went all square when he won the tenth. He also won 11 and 12 to go 2-up. They halved 13, but Box won 14 with a birdie, one of two he had during the round, to increases his advantage there.
Box clinched the title after holes l5 and 16 were halved.
It has been a busy spell for the county boys who also contested the Age Group Championship for the Rae Spillane Trophy, presented in memory of a former county junior organiser.
This was decided at Beedle Lake GC and was won by Ollie Gardiner (29 handicap) with his 68 net return.
Rohan Bamber (26) from Cosby with his 69 net card was runner-up on local rule after a tie with Harry Rothera (3) from Lingdale.
Leading final scorers:
Boys Championship: 141 C. Box (Beedles Lake) 74-67, 143 F. Jones (Kirby Muxloe) 70-73, 146 W. Plant (Cosby) 73-73, 147 E. Bell (Cosby) 70-77, 148 M. Durham (Cosby) 78-70, 153 S. Haynes-Coote (Kibworth) 80-73, 156 T. Dziuba (The Leicestershire) 82-74, 165 J. Rudkin (Cosby) 82-83.
Age Group winners: U14 C. Harris (Cosby), U16 F. Jones (Kirby Muxloe), U18 W. Plant (Cosby).
Match Play: Quarter finals – C.Box beat J. Rudkin 7 and 5, E. Bell beat M. Durham 7 and 5, F. Jones beat T. Dziuba 4 and 3, S. Haynes-Coote beat W. Plant 7 and 5.
Semi-finals: Box beat Bell 1-hole, Jones beat Haynes-Coote 2 and 1. Final: Box beat Jones 3 and 2.
Age Group leading scorers: 68 net O. Gardiner (Kirby Muxloe), 69 net R. Bamber (Cosby). H. Rothera (Lingdale), 71 net S. Leake (Beedles Lake), 73 net A.Iswaran (Beedles Lake), S. Thomas (Beedles Lake), 74 net T. Osborne (Cosby). B. Riff (The
Leicestershire), H. Finch (Rothley Park), R. Pankhania (The Leicestershire), J. Richard Elmer (Cosby).
Martin Anderson, the former county captain, won the club championship on his home course of Kibworth.
He imposed his authority on the tournament with his 5-under-par 66 opening round before adding 73 for his 139 aggregate.
Sam Haynes-Coote, the county boys’ captain, on 71-69-140 was runner-up on local rule from Jamie Watson, with two 70 returns, third.
Phil Thomason, a former county captain, hit 71-70-141 to come fourth, with Oliver Lewis 78-69-147 fifth, followed by Chris Palmer 71-77-148, Jake Pearce 74-76-150, and Zack Stafford, two 76s for 152.
Palmer’s 72 saw him become senior champion two days earlier, with David Clayton (11) on 38 points heading division one on countback from Rob Bamber (4) 38pts, and Christopher Murray (12) 37 pts in third.
Tom Moore (24) on 40 pts headed division two from Colin Cramphorn (28), also with 40 pts, and Aldo Rodi (18) 37 pts in third.