Launceston GC provided its customary warm welcome to a total of 68 juniors yesterday for the Junior County Championships 2025.
The headline makers were Oban Webber (St Mellion) who retained his Junior County Champion title with a play off win against an unfortunate Archie Haynes (Carlyon Bay).
The U16 County Championship was won by Harrison Gurd (Perranporth) whilst Harry Faull (St Mellion) took the U14 title. U12s winner was Rory Julian (Falmouth).
Izzy Wakeling became CLCGA Girls County Champion.
U18s Championship
This one went to the wire after 2024 winner Webber and Haynes finished tied on a two round total of 151. Webber looked to be handing the trophy elsewhere after a morning 80 but bounced back with a one over par 70. The halfway leader was Tiernan Wallwork (Tehidy Park) with a morning 74 but he fell away on his second round to an 82. Haynes meanwhile added a 73 to his morning 78. With some 40 juniors and parents watching both hit great irons up the first. Webber hit another good iron into the middle of the fairway. Haynes however leaked his second and despite the entire crowd of onlookers searching his ball could not be found in the short grass and sparsely tree lined ground to the right. Faced with no alternative, after the 3 minute time for searching elapsed, Haynes hit another – this time into the centre of the fairway. When he then pitched magnificently to two feet from 90 yards away, a shot Webber conceded, he had made a 6. All that was left was for Webber to get up and down from the fringe some 15 feet from the pin. He duly did so and acknowledged straightaway sympathy for his opponent saying the manner in which he had won was not what he would have liked.
Third in the U18 Championship was Joab Atkins (Trethorne) with rounds of 81 & 71.
Nett prizes for U18s went to 3rd placed Kian Williams (Carlyon Bay) and second placed his club mate Haynes. Another Carlyon Bay junior in Charlie Emmett with nett rounds of 68 & 66 for a 6 under par total.
U16 Championship
Harrison Gurd (Perranporth) claimed the U16 Championship with rounds of 75 & 79 for a 154 (+14) total, two shots ahead of Edward Walters (Launceston, 78 & 78 for 156) with Bobby Godfrey (St Enodoc) third a further shot back on 157 (78 & 79).
Nett prizes for U16s went to 3rd placed Oliver Uglow (Launceston), and second placed Walters (Launceston)The winner however was St Austell’s Luca Vercoe with nett rounds of 67 & 65 for an 8 under par total.
U14 Championship
Harry Faull (St Mellion) could even afford a scorecard error in signing for a higher score on one hole and still manage to claim the U14 Championship after a gross 78. Faull finished three shots ahead of second placed Rory Julian (Falmouth, 81) and third placed Will Dingle (St Enodoc, 82)
Nett prizes for U14s went to 3rd placed Theo Davies (Falmouth) with Faull placed second. The winner though on countback was Aaron Ivey (Mullion) with a nett round of 67.
U12 Championship
Having lost in a play-off in the 2024 U12 final Rory Julian put it right this time with a gross 81 to win this age group category Championship. Julian finished 5 shots clear of the 2024 winner Rory Hudson (West Cornwall) with Falmouth clubmate Jenson Davis third on 89.
Nett prizes for U12 saw an outstanding nett 59 scored by 11 year old Zach Evans (St Austell) as he finished three shots ahead of his clubmate Owen Withers (62) with David third on a nett 67.
CLCGA Girls
14 girls took part in the CLCGA Junior Championships – this number being the highest recorded in the last 13 years an indication the development work being undertaken in Cornwall is beginning to show results.
The Girls Junior County Champion 2025 is Izzy Wakeling who continued her run of recent good form to return a gross 80, which saw her 3 shots clear of runner-up Charlotte Jenkin (West Cornwall). In third spot was Jess Prior (Carlyon Bay) with 94.
In the nett competition there was a clear winner in 11 year old Olivia Tucker (St Austell), who having shot a gross 95 saw her nett score become a 65, giving her a 5 shot advantage over Wakeling (70) and third placed Eva Newman (72).
Four Girls played a 9 hole stableford event and the winner was late entrant Lily Warren-Knight with 23 points, one point ahead of Nellie Hosking (Mullion, 22) with Sophie Jones (Carlyon Bay) third on 21.