Herts challenge fades

AFTER his runner-up finish in the Boys Championship, Tom Lewis was one of 11 Herts colleagues who two days later braved wintry conditions in the Berkhamsted Trophy as the English amateur season got under way. He opened with a challenging one under par 70

AFTER his runner-up finish in the Boys' Championship, Tom Lewis was one of 11 Herts colleagues who two days later braved wintry conditions in the Berkhamsted Trophy as the English amateur season got under way.

He opened with a challenging one under par 70 to be tied with five other players three strokes off the lead but in the afternoon slipped back with 80, his 150 total leaving him well down the field.

Best Herts return came from former county champion Nick Pateman of Porters Park with rounds of 74, 73, his 147 putting him nine strokes behind the winner, 20-year-old Andy Sullivan from Purley Chase, Nuneaton, who was in outstanding form as he shrugged off the conditions. He opened with two consecutives birdies from tenth and holed three consecutive birdies from the fifth, dropp only one shot to open with four under par 67 and followed with level par 71, his 138 leaving him two strokes clear of England boy international Stiggy Hodgson, of Sunningdale, who shot two rounds of 70. Third was Luke Goddard (Hendon), 72, 72.

Of the other Herts players, Gordon Stewart shot 74, 75 and Luke Colgate 78, 73 over their home course, James Watts (East Herts) 75, 76, James Jankowski (Potters Bar) 78, 75 and Tom Speyer (West Herts) 78, 78.

Former Herts captain Richard Latham (Porters Park), now at EGU headquarters, Woodhall Spa, returned to compete once again in the Trophy and shot rounds of 75, 76.

Defending champion Greg Blainey, former Herts boy, now at Bearwood Lakes, had rounds of 73, 72 for ninth place.

Boys' champion Glen Portelli missed out, his handicap being just outside the qualifying cut off, and also absent was Tom Shadbolt (Mid Herts), who was unwell.