England U-18s Championship proves dramatic down the stretch
Suffolk ace Tyler Weaver maintained his impressive run of form as he birdied the final two holes to snatch victory in the England U-18s Championship at Woodhall Spa last night.
FORMAT: 72-hole stroke play
The son of flat race legend Jason Weaver came with a late charge to claim his second major victory of the season having won the Lagonda Trophy at the end of May Last week he also finished second at the Henry Cooper Junior Masters behind Dylan Shaw-Radford (Huddersfield).
But this time around he would not be denied despite looking out of contention for most of the final round. With four holes to play he was still four behind his England Boys team-mate Sam Easterbrook (Olton), rallying just in time while the Warwickshire player struggled down the stretch. He double bogeyed 15 and bogeyed 17 and 18 to finish two back in the final reckoning.
Dylan Shaw-Radford carries off the Carris Trophy
Weaver, who also finished a highly-impressive 17th at the Brabazon Trophy last month, said: “I can’t describe the feeling to win. It feels great all the hard work is paying off and all the money my parents spend taking me around the country… it makes me happy.
“My dad came down for the last day so I was happy to do it in front of both of them.”
After Easterbrook’s six at the 15th, the Bury St Edmunds junior was just two behind but looked to be heading for something similar on 17 when he stuck his drive into the heather up the left. However he forced his approach pin high on the right and rattled in the birdie putt from 14 feet.
He added: “From the heather it’s a bit of guesswork, but I just committed to the shot and it ended up going where I wanted.
“I hit the putt firmly as I hadn’t holed much and I really wanted to take it down the last.”
Easterbrook’s bogey on 17 meant the two boys were level pegging playing 18 while Zach Little (West Herts), who was in the group ahead, was also on level terms.
However the Hertfordshire player bogeyed the last while Easterbrook drove into sand, splashed out to around 90 yards but went long with his third. Weaver just missed the green in two on the left hand side and chipped up to four feet.
Easterbrook’s 40-foot putt for birdie came up four feet short and he dragged his par effort left but his playing partner did not miss to become only the second England U-18s champion, Jenson Forrester winning the inaugural mixed event competition last year.
Sophia Fullbrook (The Melbourne), was the highest-placed girl, coming in just six shots back in eighth.