English Boys County Final V Yorkshire

BB&O, competing in their first England Boys County Finals, since the late 1990’s, finished runners up after losing to Yorkshire on the final day. Victories over Staffordshire and Somerset on Days 1 & 2, respectively, had put BB&O level on match points with Yorkshire, who had also won their opening two matches. The final days ‘winner takes all’ encounter between BB&O and Yorkshire promised to be an exciting affair.

Conor Gough & Harrison Arnold were out in Game 1, of the three morning foursomes, having  won their previous two foursomes matches together. They looked to be in control of the match, establishing an early lead that they were to take into the back 9. Yorkshire gradually fought back and then took the lead on the 16^th hole after a wonderful mid iron approach, to two feet, to an impossible flag position. The BB&O Pair managed to win the 17th with a fantastic approach shot but sadly lost the 18th.

Melan Dhauhadel & Fraser Bown in Game 2 and Taylor Paul & Thomas Lawton in Game 3 went behind early on in their respective matches but were unable to get back on level terms at any point. They stuck in there, however, pushing their opponents to the 17^th hole, before succumbing by the same score, 2&1. To come back from 3-0 down is hard enough, but against a team as strong as Yorkshire the BB&O knew that only a flawless performance would do.

Conor Gough led the afternoon singles against Yorkshire’s 17 year old George Heath, who played fantastic golf to win 3&2.

Harrison Arnold, Captaining the team, had played beautiful golf over the first two days, securing four wins out of four matches. Harrison again established an early lead in Game 2 that despite struggling more than most on the greens, he would never relinquish. He eventually won his match by 2 holes, thereby putting BB&O’s first points on the board.

Melan Dhaubhadel, at No.3 was up against the far more experienced Charlie Daughtrey. Charlie birdied the last to halve the match for Yorkshire but Melan can be very pleased with his week's work against some of the finest young players in the country.

Sebastian Tannum Donaldson eventually lost on the last having battled through a marvellous up and down match.

Taylor Paul came up against a Yorkshire boy in scintillating form. Several birdies and an eagle, in a 5 hole stretch, saw Ben Schmidt move into a 5 hole lead after 11 holes. Taylor showed his battling qualities winning the 14^th and 15^th holes but finally succumbed on the 16^th green losing the match 3&2. Ben’s win took Yorkshire beyond the 5 points needed for Championship victory. Fraser Bown, playing in the last match against the very talented Callum Macfie, was 3 down on the back 9 but really dug deep to win three of the last six holes to halve his match.

BB&O had lost the match by a margin of 7-2 against a very good Yorkshire team but can be proud of the way in which they ran each match so close.

Harrison Arnold (Capt ), Conor Gough, Sebastian Tannum- Donaldson, Melan Dhaubhadel, Taylor Paul, Fraser Bown and Thomas Lawton represented BB&O with great distinction and were a credit to themselves, their parents, home clubs and the BB&O Golf Union. The future is very bright.

For the full results please click here

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