Jack Mawer & The Wiltshire Boys Sweep All Before Them Again

The 2024 South West Counties under 16/14 Championship was held at Lansdown Golf Club near Bath on Thursday 30 th May. The course par of 71 provided a real test for some of the best under 16 and 14 juniors in the South West. this was a thinking person's course which required excellent course management strategy skills and patience especially in a stiff breeze that swirled around the course and added to the difficulty.

Riley Banks (Wrag Barn G.C.) fresh from his 2nd place in the recent West of England U14 Championship got the team off to a solid start, his 75 was a great effort and could have been even better if the putter had behaved its self. Never the less it was the third best U14 score of the day.

Next player in for Wiltshire was Ted Hodgkinson (Bowood G.C.), Tedbattled hard but I just wasn't his day. Thomas Le Leivre (Broome Manor G.C.) also found the conditions tough but kept battling. Wiltshire started to fall back into the pack, after a bright start we now trailed the new leaders Gloucestershire. Noah Adams (High Post G.C.) played some superb golf to score 77 and put Wiltshire right back in touch with leaders Gloucestershire.

Further solid performances from Charlie O'Dowd (Marlborough G.C.) and Lewis Tilling (Broome Manor), kept Wiltshire up with the leaders. Unfortunately, Gloucestershire were also playing some excellent golf and started to pull well clear of Wiltshire. We needed a hero! Cometh the hour, cometh the man, Jack Mawer (Broome Manor G.C.) the youngestplayer in the team, displayed a maturity beyond his years. Jack played outstanding golf, typified by his second shot to the par four 16 th hole which actually hit the hole and nearly went in for an eagle. His round of level par round of 71 allowed Wiltshire to get right back in the hunt for the team title.

Jack's round of 71 not only earned him the South West Counties U14 individual championship, it also put him in a playoff for the under 16 individual title, which he lost in a three hole playoff. This performance from Jack is even more outstanding when you consider he has only recently returned to golf after breaking his arm.

Wiltshire had clawed back some ground but the nature of the team format meant it was not over until every player had finished. We had two players left out on the golf course, and conditions were at their most testing. The two players still to come in were Logan Bell (Erlestoke G.C.) and George Mathias (Marlborough G.C.).  Both battled the elements superbly -  everyone was on their phone trying to work out the totals. A big thank you to Andy Banks for reducing my blood pressure by working out that Wiltshire had won the team tile by 2 shots.

Massive congratulations to all the players, parents Ian and Performance Director Colion Rossiter for an amazing victory … for the smallest County in the South West.

Now we move on to Broadstone for the SW Under 18's where we look to retain our title.

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