Surrey’s Ben Partridge withstood a late charge from Devon’s Matt Millar to win the English Boys’ County Champion of Champions event over the Red course at Frilford Heath.
Partridge, from Epsom Golf Club, held a two-shot lead after an opening three-under-par 69, but was briefly caught by Millar’s closing 66 before carding birdies on the 16th and 17th to claim a narrow one-shot victory with a five-under-par total of 139.
Partridge becomes the first player from Surrey to clinch the title since Greg Payne tied for first place with Matt Fitzpatrick , Jewett Parmer and Jack Singh Brar at Woodhall Spa in 2011. He also succeeds Yorkshire’s Ben Schmidt as champion, who has since gone on to win the Brabazon and Carris Trophies and to play for the winning English team at the Men’s Home Internationals at Lahinch.
Millar (Dainton Park) had been five shots off the pace after an opening 74, but he jumped six places up the leaderboard with a 66, which included an inward half of 32. His four-under-par aggregate was enough to see him finish one shot ahead of Suffolk’s George Fricker (Woodbridge) and two in front of Derbyshire’s Sam Potter (Marriott Breadsall Priory) and Notinghamshire’s Samuel Allen (Notts), who all closed with 71.