Yorkshire golf: Hallamshire GC juniors aim to add UK crown to English title

The Hallamshire squad (back row, l-r): Julian Wood, Tom Bradley, Alex Fox, Tom Naylor, Barclay Brown and Elliott Brown; (front row) Louie Hinchliffe

Next week they can expect the sun to shine on their attempt to become the UK’s top team as the final is being staged at Antequera Golf, Andalucia, in Spain.

The team qualified at the Junior Team Golf English national final last year at Studley Wood GC.

Burhill, the side they edged by two points, will also be competing in Spain, as will champions and runners-up from Ireland, Scotland and Wales during a four-day event.

The championship, now in its 21nd year, is one of the biggest and most prestigious junior team tournaments in the world.

It is the only one in the British Isles and is supported by the R&A, the four national golf unions and the Golf Foundation.

More than 1,300 clubs with 650,000 members compete each year, involving an estimated 80,000 youngsters. Fifteen thousand junior boys and girls aged 18 and under take part in the initial knockout stages.

Sky TV will broadcast highlights from the event later in the year.

Hallamshire’s team of six at Studley Wood was Alex Fitzpatrick, Barclay Brown, Tom Bradley, Tom Naylor, Louie Hinchliffe and Alex Fox.

Brown, an England Under-16 international, shot the best gross score of the day with a five-under-par 68 – seven strokes ahead of the second-best scorer, Jeong Sim of Burhill.

Andy Unwin has won Rotherham GC’s Race to Spring series.

He and the other players who finished in the top 30 of the event will compete in the Race to Spring final on Saturday, March 12.

The final qualifying event was won by C Bliss with 43 points.

Matt King and Chris Holdsworth both carded 38 points, King placing second on countback.

Nick and Steve Fairbank won Hessle GC’s Pro’s Better Ball event on 66, winning on countback from John Green and Gary Allott.

Greg Tinker and Drew Kirby placed third, a shot further back.

Three sides amassed 45 points in the Ambrose Scramble, with Ian Cook and Rich Witty prevailing on countback.

Darren Thornton did not have to rely on the system to take victory in Division One of the Pro’s Individual Stableford, although he won by only one point from Andrew Dean - 39 to 38. Bryan Calam was a further shot back in third.

James Maxwell took the Division Two accolade with 40 pts, one clear of second-placed Gary Allott and Drew Kirby, in third.