NorthamptonshireGolf
Team Photo (Back: left to right) Krishan Panesar, Sam Mayman, Isaac Wakefield, Daniel Rees, (and Front: left to right) Harry Odell, Oscar Cope, Josh Bland (captain), Riley Hammond.
Everyone associated with Northants U-14 Boys will be proud of our team's performance finishing runners-up to Cambridgeshire in the Keith Tripp event at Lingdale on Sunday September 11th. A massive thanks is due to all the family members who provided transport, our County President Catherine Tildesley for her support, and especially our players for their efforts on the day.
Not only were Northants the only County able to field a team plus two playing reserves but our scores were the most improved of any County from last year's competition and we will have all but one of our players still available next year. We pushed Cambs all the way but their three best gross scores of 74, 74, 78, were the difference in the competition where the best 5 from 6 gross scores count.
Our Northants boys battled well and deserved their runners-up trophies finishing well ahead of Derbyshire and Leicestershire. Northants County's Harry Odell, our youngest player, shot a brilliant 78. Daniel Rees of Northampton GC was only 1 over gross at half way but the tougher back 9 resulted in a fine final score of 80 which was matched by our other best performer Sam Mayman, who played superbly his first outing at Lingdale. His Peterborough Milton team mate Isaac Wakefield was also on for a good score when he birdied hole 15 but a bogey followed and then he hit his tee shot out of bounds on 17, eventually shooting 83.
Josh Bland and Krishan Panesar had some tree trouble in their rounds of 85, but still played some great golf and both improved on their 2023 performances at Lingdale.
Riley Hammond, as playing reserve, double bogeyed the last hole but scored a very good 84 in his first County competition. Our other reserve Oscar Cope also played some excellent shots but finished with a score in the 90s.
The next U-14 event is a 6 player team required for the Midland Golf Championships at Longcliffe, also Leicestershire, on Sunday September 1st, where 5 of 6 best gross scores will be once again required ! Parents should let me know about availability as soon as possible, please.
Derek Mankelow