Welcome to our live coverage of the 2023 Lytham Trophy. Going into the final day just seven shots separate the field with Spain star Luis Masaveu (-2), England squad member Frank Kennedy (-2) and Delamere Forest’s James Ashfield (-1) the only players under par at halfway. English teenagers Sam Easterbrook (Olton) and Josh Berry (Doncaster) are also right in the hunt while reigning champion John Gough (The Berkshire) came storming back from the brink to make the cut just six shots behind the leaders.
7.00: Frank Kennedy wins the Lytham Trophy. The teenager, based in Florida, pars the last to win by 2. He held his nerve down the stretch after a few nervy moments earlier on. The 17-year-old led for most of the day in hugely impressive fashion.
6.52: Masaveu hits his 2nd to within 18 inches of the clubhouse. Advantage Kennedy!
6.46: Ashfield pars 18. He can’t win it now
6.42: Frank Kennedy makes a safe par on 17 to stay 1 ahead with Ashfield 25 feet away in 2 on the 18th. Masaveu also pars 17 to stay one back
6.36: Agony for James Ashfield on 17 as he misses a short one for par and Frank Kennedy, back down the fairway, has a 1 shot lead over Masaveu, who birdies 16 to stay in contention.
6.21: Frank Kennedy 3 putts 15 and James Ashfield had this putt to take a share of the lead on 16…
6.10 Frank Kennedy leads by 2 playing 15 with James Ashfield parting 15 and Luis Masaveu is a shot further back after he bogeys 14.
5.50: Frank Kennedy has his head in his hands as he misses from 7 feet for birdie on 13 and stays 2 ahead of Ashfield and Masaveu. It’s getting tense but the weather has never been better
5:37: Masaveu also birdies 11 and 12 and it is game on. He gets lucky at the par 5 as his second somehow avoids sand but his tee shot at the par 3 never left the pin. Having aced the 5th it looked close to another one but he finished 3 feet short and he knocked in the putt to get within 2 of Kennedy. Wow
17:24: Ashfield pars 11. Misses big chance at the par 5. Long way to go though
17:15: a much-needed holeout par for Masaveu on 10 and he cuts the gap back to 4. The leader misses his birdie attempt from 18 feet. The Spaniard still has an outside chance
17:04: Kennedy birdies 9 and Ashfield just misses with his 18-footer for birdie on 10. The Englishman is now three ahead once more
16:59: Frank Kennedy holes his 3-footer for birdie at the 8th to get 2 ahead.
16:52: Ashfield holes across the green at 9 to get within one but Kennedy has a very makeable birdie on 8
16:50: it’s getting tight. Kennedy finds trouble on 7 , leading to a bogey while Masaveu pars the 7th and Ashfield misses from 25 feet for birdie at the 8th.
16:35: James Ashfield birdies the 7th after a brilliant second, out of the rough, to the front of the green. The Welshman gets down in 2 and is now 3 back of leader Frank Kennedy.
16:20: Luis Masaveu drops a shot at the 6th while Frank Kennedy pars to go back to 4 ahead. The Spaniard’s approach misses long and right and he can’t get up and down.
16:02: Sensational scenes as Luis Masaveu holes in one at the 5th to drag himself back into the tournament. With Frank Kennedy bogeying the par 3, the Spaniard is just 3 back!
15:52: Frank Kennedy leads by 5 with 14 to go as he and Luis Masaveu chip stone dead on the 4th.
15:45: James Ashfield 3 putts the the 4th and the Welshman hasnt made the start he would have been hoping for.
15:25: nearly the perfect response from the leader. After a massive drive, he leaves himself 18 feet for birdie but his attempt lips out and he stays -3. Masaveu pars to stay 3 back.
15:14: Bad start to the final round for our leader. Frank Kennedy fails to get up and down for his par to drop back to -3 while Luis Masaveu pars after two putting.
14:43: both members of the final group just miss for birdie on 18 after two superb approaches. Luis Masaveu really needed his and will start the final round 6 back of his playing partner Frank Kennedy, who has been brilliant in the 3rd round.
14:27: Nearly a closing birdie for James Ashfield but he post a 71 to start his final round level par.
14:25: Frank Kennedy hits a brilliant chip on 17 to keep the pars rolling. Superb stuff this morning from the teenager.
14:06 Frank Kennedy gets full reward after stunning 60-yard bunker shot on 16. After a massive drive he had not much in but plays a superb 2nd and holes the putt for another birdie. Masaveu gets out of trouble with a brilliant but of sand play also to stop the rot
13:55: more woe for Luis Masaveu on 15 as he fails to get up and down and registers his 2nd successive bogey while Frank Kennedy pars it after a wonderfully delicate chip.
13:42: This time yesterday Luis Masaveu was making a giant move forward but now he’s starting to unravel. A poor tee shot and he pays the price with a bogey on 14. Frank Kennedy just misses out on a second successive birdie but is looking really good
13:30 Frank Kennedy birdies 13 after putting a 132-yard approach to 7 feet. The teenager had a tough lie in the rough but made light of that while Luis Masaveu found the middle of the fairway and could not convert from 12 feet
13.17: Masaveu is livid after hitting a superb bunker shot on 12 then missing from 4 feet for par. Kennedy 2 putts from 40 feet and is now 2 clear of the field.
13.06: No birdie for Masaveu or Kennedy on 11. The Spaniard will be especially disappointed with his effort and stays one behind his playing partner
12.57. James Ashfield finds sand off the tee at 11 and ends up with a 6 at the par five after missing the green with his 3rd and then fails to get up and down.
12:38: Luis Masaveu hits a massive drive on 10 but can’t take advantage while both he and Frank Kennedy have about 16 feet for birdie. Both fail to hole out and the Englishman remains one ahead of his playing partner with James Ashfield a shot further back.
12.29: James Ashfield stays level par the tournament after just going close to a birdie on 10. The Welshman hits a lovely approach to 15 feet but it’s not to be.
12.20: Sam Easterbrook misses a good chance for birdie on 10 after an excellent approach shot. Birdies hard to come by today.
12.00: Two more pars for the last group on 7. Another excellent par putt from Frank Kennedy after he misjudges his 3rd shot and has to get up and down from the back of the green. Luis Masaveu had a good look for birdie but again is just off with the line.
11.43am: The 6th is a brute today but the leading group both par it. Masaveu gets on in 2 and judges his approach putt superbly while Frank Kennedy, after finding trouble off the tee, gets up and down from 130 yards in brilliant fashion to stay as the leader by one.
11.25am: Nervy moments on the 5th green as Masaveu misses a short one for par and Kennedy can’t take a golden birdie opportunity.
11.15am: Ormskirk’s Andrew Haswell tees off 18 having surged through the field this morning. The Lancashire player is 2 under for his round thru 17 and 3 over for the tournament
11.04am: Good look at birdie for James Ashfield at the 4th but not to be.
10.55am: Olton’s Sam Easterbrook gets up down at the 4th. The teenager’s renowned putting game will be crucial today
10.41am: Superb pitch to save par at the 2nd from Frank Kennedy.
10.32am: so close to a birdie at 2 for James Ashfield but the Welshman has made an impressive start.
10.23am: Bogey at the first for Spain’ Luis Masaveu after he chips into the bunker but then almost holes his 3rd while playing partner Frank Kennedy makes a comfortable 2-putt par.
10.10am: Two excellent up and downs from Jack Murphy and James Ashfield in the penultimate group. Ashfield’s flop shot required plenty of delicate touch.
9.32am: Scotland’s George Cannon almost executes one of the most extraordinary birdies ever seen at the first. After dragging his tee shot 40 yards wide his flop shot from what looks like an impossible position almost goes in on the fly
9.24am: not the start France’s Darran Strachan wanted as he misses his par putt but playing partner Oli Mukherjee holes from 15 feet for par
9.18am: Zach Chegwidden bogeys the first after falling to get up and down.
9.15am: Solid start for champion John Gough. Goes close with a long birdie attempt at the 1st.
8.41am: Excellent up and down from Matthew McClean at the 4th. The Irish player found trouble off the tee but recovered superbly.
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8.24am: Great chance for American Niall Shiels Donegan at the first but his birdie attempt just slips wide.
8.16am Wilhelm Ryding makes a great start with a wonderful birdie at the 1st. Its a very approachable pin at the opening hole.
8am: welcome to a very wet Lytham for the final day of one the big four amateur events of the season. Looks set to be a slog!