Yorkshire’s Barclay Brown birdied the last two holes to snatch a one-shot victory in English U18 boys’ open championship for the Carris Trophy at Fulford Golf Club in York.
Brown, from Hallamshire Golf Club, found the last gasp push to finish on eight-under par and get past the long-time leader, Italy’s Gregorio De Leo.
Brown, for whom this his first major win, said: “I knew I had a good chance, but I completely lost my game today. I just got up and down all over place and my putter saved me. I aimed to stay in it as long as I could, and hope it would come good at the end, which it did.”
For all but two holes, de Leo kept ahead. He started the round with a two-shot lead, which, at times, he extended to three. But on the 15th the gap was narrowed to one when Brown got up and down – again – for par, while de Leo took his turn to visit the trees and bogeyed the hole.
The 17th was the turning point for Brown. He rammed home a 35-footer for birdie and into a tie for the lead after de Leo was unable to follow him in on the same line.
On the last, Brown put himself in a great position off the tee and his second finished pin high, just off the green. De Leo, meanwhile, hit his drive into a bunker and reached the green in three. Brown chipped dead for a certain birdie and the Italian’s attempt to force a play-off slid by.
Brown added: “I’ve been playing well this year, but just hadn’t quite get over the line so it’s nice to do it, especially here in Yorkshire in an England Golf event.”
Brown also helped England win the Nations Cup, teaming up with Harrison Arnold (Castle Royle) and Enrique Dimayuga (Walton Heath). Their team total, over 36 holes was eight-under par and they finished six shots ahead of Italy. He also won the Malcolm Reid Salver for the best aggregate score in the Carris and Peter McEvoy Trophies. Scotland’s Connor McKinney and Italy’s Alessio Battista shared the Hazards Salver for the best U16 score.
The final round of the championship was disrupted by a prolonged thunderstorm, which delayed play by three hours.