RECORD-BREAKER WRIGHT STORMS TO VICTORY
 Darren
Wright shot an aggregate nine under par on the day to storm
to a thrilling victory in the English Boys Under 18 Championship
at Sherwood Forest.
The 17 year old from Rowlands Castle in Hampshire carded
rounds of 64, a course record, and 67 for 276, four under
par, to finish three shots ahead of Belgian Hugues Joannes,
who began the day five strokes ahead. At the start of play
Joannes seemed untouchable. But there is nothing certain in
golf.
Wright’s record 64, which contained eight birdies and
ten threes, saw him cut the Belgian’s lead to three
at lunch, then he almost produced a carbon copy 67 to set
a target no one could reach. Wright then had to kick and heels
and bite his nails as, one by one, his pursuers all fell by
the wayside.
Joannes was still the biggest danger and was still at four
under well into his closing round. But a fierce downpour left
Joannes wet through and starting to spill shots. A double
bogey at the eight followed by another dropped shot put him
behind and although he recovered it was still a tough task
in which he came up short.
Wright (pictured left - photo courtesy of Tom Ward), who
is studying golf at college in Hampshire, said: “I’ve
amazed myself. But this win means the world to me. The biggest
title I’ve ever won before is the men’s championship
at my club, but today my putter was the key.”
He continued, “I holed everything I looked at and this
means all the hard work I’ve put in has paid off.”
Conversely, Joannes found no luck on the greens. “My
putter just dried up,” he said. “I have had a
good week but I’m very disappointed. The rain didn’t
help but I would have liked to have won.”
Dale Whitnell, the latest discovery from Essex, finished
third on level par 280 after a closing 68, while Juan Sarasti
from Spain was a stroke further back.
The rain of the afternoon took some of the sting from the
course and produced a flood of low scores.
Apart from Wright and Whitnell, Nick McCarthy from Yorkshire
went round in 65 to finish jo0int fifth on 282, while Tom
Shadbolt from Hertfordshire carded a 66, which hoisted him
to equal seventh on 283.
Several others broke 70 but everyone finished in Wright’s
shadow in a week of blistering high temperatures and sparkling
golf.
In the race for the subsidiary trophies, Pepperell won the
Hazards Salver for the best under 16 performance, while Whitnell
took the Malcolm Reid Trophy for the best aggregate from the
McEvoy and Carris Trophies.
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