Doncaster GC trio lift England Golf Junior Champion Club crown over 36 holes at Frilford Heath

Doncaster GC's Connor Longworth (captain), Jack Ciullo, Cameron Newman and Declan Stoppard (reserve) (Picture: Leaderboard Photography).

DONCASTER GC trio of junior captain Connor Longworth, Jack Ciullo and Cameron Newman, supported by their reserve Declan Stoppard, have won England’s Junior Champion Club title by five points at Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire.

They have become the first champions of England Golf’s new Golf Week, which is celebrating grass-roots golf with a host of team and handicap events over a five-day festival.

The competition saw the best two Stableford scores count in each round and Doncaster amassed 162 points.

The runners-up were the team of Mikey Nicholls, Dominic Williams and Ryan Thrupp from Worlebury, Somerset, who scored 157 points. Third prize was won by Marley Najak, Imogen Rafferty and Joseph Capewell of Breadsall Priory, Derbyshire, on 155 points.

“This is massive,” said Doncaster junior organiser Simon Longworth. “Nobody at the club has ever been involved in an event like this and to win it puts us well and truly on the map.

“It’s one of the best golfing days of my life and I haven’t hit a ball.”

Doncaster’s first hurdle towards national glory was to win the Sheffield Golf Union inter-club competition, which was contested by 37 teams, with all three scores counting. Then they had to win the Yorkshire team championship to take their place in the final.

On Monday all three team members played below their handicaps for a first round total of 80 points. On Tuesday, they did even better with 82, but they were among the earliest starters and had a long wait before they could begin celebrating.

Newman, 15, led the team’s scoring in the second round with 43 points, despite starting with a double bogey seven. “It didn’t really put me off, I’m used to getting them, it’s just one of those things,” said the 13-handicapper.

“After that I had a string of pars and two birdies.”

He finished by holing a 10-footer for a birdie three on the 18th.

Longworth, 17, provided the other counting score with 39 points, playing off 14 handicap. Doncaster’s third player Ciullo, 17, had 33 points, playing off 13.

Worlebury were the overnight leaders and took second place. Mikey Nicholls added 38 points to his opening 45, while Dominic Williams and Ryan Thrupp both had 35 points.