After their victory in the Herts Inter-Club Foursomes, Harpenden Common s Sam Claridge and Tom Brown made a winning start as they competed in the British Boys Championship at Little Aston, Birmingham. For Tom, victory in the first round by one hole over

After their victory in the Herts Inter-Club Foursomes, Harpenden Common's Sam Claridge and Tom Brown made a winning start as they competed in the British Boys Championship at Little Aston, Birmingham.

For Tom, victory in the first round by one hole over a Portuguese opponent was followed by a 3&2 defeat from James Carney (Shirley Park), but Sam was in fine form as he went on to reach the last 32 in the field of 156.

First he beat Alastair Jones (Radyr) 3&2, then won 5&4 against Sam Forgan (Stowmarket) and followed with another 5&4 win over Ben Collins (Chart Hills). Then his winning run came to an end in the fourth round, losing by 3&1 to Romain Wattel of France - who himself went out the next round to the eventual winner Pedro Figueiredo of Portugal by two holes.

In a marathon final, the Portuguese player and his Scots opponent Fraser McKenna (Balmore) were level after 36 holes and it was three more holes before Figueiredo tapped in from 2ft for birdie and the title.

Of other Herts players in the field Tom Lewis of Welwyn Garden City won his first round match against a German opponent 5&3, then lost 2&1 to eventual finalist Fraser McKenna, while Nicholas Davies (Old Fold Manor) followed a one-hole first round win against a German opponent by going down 3&1 to Ben Stow (Hamptworth).

First round losers were Glen Portelli (Brickendon Grange), one hole, and David Wells (Mill Green), unlucky to be drawn against eventual winner Figueiredo, losing by 7&6.