Essex’s Harley Smith put in a stunning front-running effort to win the England U-16s Championship at Camberley Heath last night.
The Rayleigh Club player’s lead after the first round was one and he would never be headed, registering four rounds in the 60s to finish one clear of Yorkshire’s Joshua Berry, who made a big charge on the final day of the 72-hole strokeplay contest.
Harley (pictured above), who won a Clutch Pro Tour event at Prince’s in April when he was just 15, has long been identified as ‘one for the future’ and the composure he displayed in building his 13 under par total, confirms much of the promise he has shown in the last five years.
Dad Paul followed him round all the way and was understandably delighted to see his son record the biggest win of his life.
Harley Smith joins special club by completing England U-18s/16s double
“It was nerve-wracking,” said Paul. “He played so well on the first two days and obviously I want him to get over the line.
“So when the pack started to close in the third round I was bound to get nervous. But there are so many good players out there. To lead from the front and win is always going to be incredibly difficult.”
Harley, who reached the last 16 of the British Amateur Championship last month, was five shots clear going into the final day – the 46 boys who made the cut played 36 holes yesterday.
He opened with a 67 (-4) to give him the slenderest of advantages over Luke Jenkins (Rochester & Cobham Park), Drew Sykes (Goodwood) and Daniel Prince (Wentworth).
The Essex teenager, who has been coached all his life by David March at The Rayleigh Club, set the tone for the rest of the competition during his first three holes, manufacturing a brilliant up and down at the first for a par and then birdieing the next two.
The following day he went one better (66) and played some stellar stuff on the front nine, driving the green at the par four sixth after rolling one in from 18 feet at the stroke index one fifth.
A couple of huge tee shots at 12 and 18 set up chip-and-putt threes to leave him nine under and leave himself well clear of Jenkins, who followed up his 68 with a 70.
The following morning a number of players began to force themselves into the reckoning, headed by Somerset’s Freddie Turnell, who notched seven birdies and an eagle on his way to a 64.
Hagley’s Hugh Adams (65) and Berry (66) also prospered before lunch while the leader showed all his determination to record a 69, epitomised by a remarkable up-and-down birdie on the short closing par four. He managed to flop his second shout out of thick rough and over the bunker to three feet and that three kept him two ahead of Turnell.
The leader’s short-game heroics carried over into the start of the fourth round where he found a tough spot with his second but showed immense skill to stop the ball seven feet from the hole and then make the putt.
With Harley in the final group it was up to the chasing pack to post something testing and it was Doncaster player Berry who emerged as the main contender as he birdied 10, 11 and 12 to get to five under for his round and 11 under overall.
However the leader produced his own hat-trick of birdies – at 12, 13 and 14. That came after a brilliant six iron down the hill at the par three eighth and he made no mistake from ten feet.
Harley bogeyed 15 and his lead was cut back to one as the Yorkshire teenager birdied 16 and 17. Both players bogeyed the last but by then the champion elect knew a five was enough to secure a title that has been previously won by Justin Rose and Oli Fisher.
Next week Harley tackles the England U-18s (Carris), a competition he made the cut in two years ago when he was only 14. Bristol and Clifton is the host.