FORMAT: Team event / Round-robin matchplay
England swept the board at the Home Internationals today but it got very tight in the joint boys/girls event where the decider against Scotland went down to the last match at Woodhall Spa.
In all the age categories the draw threw up winner-takes-all, final-day clashes with England women beating Ireland 6-3, the combined England seniors side edging out Scotland 6.5-5.5 and England juniors beating their Scottish counterparts 11-10.
The competition was tinged with sadness though. The Wales boys team had to isolate yesterday after one of their squad was confirmed with Covid. It meant they missed out playing half their matches. The Wales girls team were able to play.
Today all the drama centred on the youngest competitors after a brilliant match came down to the foursomes encounter between Josh Berry (Doncaster) and Harley Smith (The Rayleigh) and Calum Scott (Nairn) and Gregor Graham (Blairgowrie).
With three holes to go, the England duo were one up and the Essex youngster landed a massive blow by holing from 15 feet to go two up.
At the short par 17th, Berry almost drove the green and found the green-side bunker while the Scottish duo had an eagle putt but missed. Once again the England U-18s/16s champion rose to the occasion by flopping out of the sand to two feet and the putt, and match, was conceded.
In the seniors, the two title contenders were 4-4 after the singles but after two big foursomes wins for the home side, Trevor Foster (Pleasington) and Ian Attoe (Worplesdon) gained a half with Derek Paton (Dunnikier Park) and Ronnie Clark (Erksine) to secure victory.
In the women’s match, the two unbeaten sides went head-to-head and after the singles it was 3-3 but England swept the foursomes with Caley McGinty (Knowle) partnering Conrwall’s Emily Toy (Carlyon Bay) to a 3&2 victory over Aine Donegan and Anna Foster. For the Gloucestershire player it was a particularly special victory because it preserved her perfect record (6 wins out of 6).