HAINES SECURES SECOND MAJOR TITLE WITH CARRIS TRIUMPH
 Matt
Haines, (picture © Tom Ward) from Kent claimed his second
major junior title in three months when he won the English
Boys Under 18 Stroke Play Championship for the Carris Trophy
at a wet and windy Saunton in Devon yesterday.
A closing round of 74 for 288, four over par, left him two
strokes ahead of Bristol’s Chris Lloyd, who also closed
with 74, and four clear of Northumberland’s Garrick
Porteous, who shot 77.
“This is the best win I’ve had,” said Haines,
who broke through with the McEvoy Trophy in April. “This
makes up for the disappointment of losing in the final of
the European Boys Team Championships in Denmark a couple of
weeks ago.”
Haines began the final day two strokes adrift of Lloyd but
a morning 74 in atrocious conditions of driving rain and gale
force winds, left the 17 year old from Chatham two in front.
Although the rain relented in the afternoon, the wind intensified
and made scoring just as difficult. In fact, only 11 of the
45-strong field broke 300 and there were plenty of returns
in the 80s.
But Haines, partnering Lloyd, kept his head and his lead
as most of his rivals were spilling shots with regularity.
“I didn’t get too worried in the afternoon,”
Haines added. “I just played my own game and towards
the end I knew it was just between myself and Chris. The key
was the par four 16th where I was five feet away in four and
he was four feet away in three. If I had missed and he holed
there would have only been a shot in it.
“But he missed and I holed and then I felt safe. Chris
got a superb birdie at the last but I knew that I just had
to play for a par to win. The day was really tough. I wanted
it to blow but I didn’t want the rain. Shooting two
74s in those conditions was pretty steady and this year is
turning out to be pretty good for me.”
Haines also won the Malcolm Reid salver for the best aggregate
with the McEvoy Trophy while Lloyd had the consolation of
collecting the Hazard Salver for the best score by a player
under 16.
“I didn’t have a lot of luck on the greens as
I had plenty of chances but the ball just stayed out,”
said Lloyd. “But overall, I couldn’t have asked
any more of myself. I’m pleased with my performance
and I’ve still got three more years to challenge for
this title.”
A double-bogey five at the short 17th cost Porteous a share
of second place while Adam Wills, who led after the first
round, shot 76 to share fourth place on 296 with new England
boy captain Jack Hiluta, who returned 77. “That was
about as tough as you could get it, especially with the rain
this morning,” said Hiluta. “I found that fatigue
came into play in the afternoon but I’d rather have
it like this be3cause it is a true test of golf.”
On a day when no one was likely to match or beat the par
of 71, there were superb 72s from Max` Smith, Jonathan Bell,
Oliver Glaze and James Martin from Spain.
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