Middlesex captain Niall Keogh put in a dominant effort at Hendon Golf Club to win his first ever County Championship.
A finalist three years ago, the 29-year-old site manager is in a rich vein of form and demonstrated that to many of his county team-mates over the weekend. The Sudbury member was only behind for one hole during the four matchplay rounds.
That came in the final against Northwood’s Ian Ashenden, who went one up after two holes before Niall won the third and never looked back as he stormed to 6&5 success.
“It was all a bit nervy at the start of the final,” said the new champion, pictured putting on the 11th. “Once I got ahead against Ian I said to myself ‘push on’.”
He certainly did just that by taking the fifth and then birdieing six and seven to go three up.
It got worse for the Northwood player as he plugged in the bunker at 10 to hand Niall the hole and what was coming next as his opponent drained a 30-footer to go five up.
At the very next hole Niall went dormie with his fourth birdie of the afternoon before the 13 was halved with pars to end the contest.
In the semi-finals Niall tackled 50-year-old multiple county champion Justin Phelps, who led qualifying thanks to rounds of 70 and 71 for a one over par total.
The standard throughout was high and critically for the county captain he chipped in at 13 to go two up before winning 16 to seal it 3&2.