Freddie Turnell showed more evidence he is one to watch as he secured a quick-fire county treble at his home course Burnham & Berrow yesterday.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play
The teenager, who came second in the Peter McEvoy Trophy last month, won the Somerset junior crown the previous weekend and followed that up in style with a two-shot success in the main event. It also meant he picked up the Colts trophy (U-21s).
The Millfield School pupil enjoyed a great battle with club-mate Phil White, the 2022 champion.
And the experienced man looked set to retain his title after opening with a sparkling 66 (-5).
But Turnell, who last September was victorious in the South West U-18s, reeled him in on the front nine before staying strong down the infamous closing stretch on the famous links layout.
“I just tried to play my own game,” said the new champion. “I forgot about what Phil was doing – or tried to.
“He was on fire in the first round but I was just pleased to stay with him in those early stages. I had seven putts in the first seven holes.”
White was four under after eight holes in the morning while his playing partner was struggling with his long game, finding just two greens in regulation after seven holes – the fourth and fifth.
He birdied both and then kept the momentum going in superb style. At six and seven he found trouble off the tee but rolled in a 20-footer and then one from half that distance to stay within two of White.
Turnell added: “Across the day I didn’t play amazing but those opening seven holes were ridiculous.”
The A-Level student calmed down thereafter but bogeys at 14 and 17 meant he finished four back of his club-mate at halfway.
However that all turned around on the front nine after lunch as Turnell birdied four, seven and eight while White bogeyed three in a row, starting at the fifth.
Turnell’s lead was halved as he bogeyed nine and both players dropped a shot at 11.
However there was a key moment on 13 as the teenager got up and down for a birdie and White failed to take advantage of the par five.
It got worse for the reigning champion as he dropped another shot on the next and the leader was rock solid coming home, hitting every green in regulation down the stretch to close out in style.