Bedfordshire County Golf
Beadlow Triumphs in Portugal
Beadlow Manor win the Junior Team Golf Home Nations Final
Beadlow Manor are Junior Team Golf (JTG) Home Nations Champions after beating the best junior sections in the UK to win the Nigel Dolton Trophy, in a competition which more than 1000 teams from across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland entered.
The JTG event, which has been running for over 20 years, has grown into one of the biggest and most prestigious junior team tournaments in existence, and is the only one in the British Isles and Ireland supported by the R&A, and the four national golf unions. After a qualification process involving county, regional and national finals, this year’s competition culminated in 8 teams from across the UK going head to head in the Home Nations Final at Morgado Golf Resort near Portimao (over both Morgado and Alamos golf courses). The format was teams of 6 playing singles matchplay off full handicap from lowest to highest, all played out over 4 days.
The same Beadlow Manor team of Luke Charalambous (hcp 4), Conner Penning (hcp 4), Jamie Gibbons (hcp 5), Ben Loveard (hcp 10), Will Murray (hcp 10), Lewis Vereecque (hcp 14) and Jack Munson (hcp 17) who represented the club at the England Final made the trip to Portugal. The draw was made on the eve of the competition and saw Beadlow grouped with The Vale Resort (defending Home Nations champions), New Club St Andrews (Scottish Champions) and Mold (Welsh Runners up). The other group contained Cuddington, Bothwell Castle, Romsey and Pyle & Kenfig.
A superb team effort saw victories against all their pool opponents beating The Vale 3.5 to 2.5 on Day 1, New Club, St. Andrews by 5 to 1 on Day 2, and finally Mold by 3.5 to 2.5 on Day 3. The Championship match saw Beadlow come up against the other team with a 100% record in Romsey, and in a nail-biting match which finished 3-3, the result went to countback and total holes won with Beadlow coming out on top by 3 holes to deservedly become Home Nations Junior Team Champions.
The achievement was a true team effort but there were definitely some individual highlights. Luke Charalambous set the standard for all to follow in his first match beating a Welsh U.21 international and current Welsh Boys and Order of Merit winner by 2&1. Conner Penning had a similarly huge performance beating another Welsh international from Mold by 3&2 in the final pool match. Jamie Gibbons was relentless in winning all four of his matches playing at 3, and the youngest player on the team Ben Loveard returned a superb 3.5 from 4 points. Will Murray and Lewis Vereecque came back from 5 and 3 down to secure a point and half respectively in pool matches, and in the Final Jack Munson having been called in at very late notice won the vital 6th match by 3&2, secured a ‘hole in one’ on the 11th hole in the process, and with Murray ensured the final holes were successfully negotiated to ensure the Final was won on ‘holes countback’. Formal recognition was made at the Gala dinner when in addition to receiving the winning team trophy, Ben Loveard also won the individual prize for Category 2/3 players and Jack Munson won the Alex Hay award for his final day performance.
Beadlow Manor Junior Organiser, Gary Boyle said, ‘’to get to the Final was an amazing achievement but to go to Portugal and win the whole competition against the quality of opposition was beyond my wildest dreams. The team spirit was tremendous, and the boys were brilliant both on and off the course’’.
The team would like to express huge thanks to their sponsors: DLA & Quantum Town Planning, Office Portfolio, Monk & Smith Builders, Slam Signs, Custom Lab Golf and also the Beds County Golf Union. They would also like to acknowledge the individual and collective donations from Beadlow Manor club members, and the incredible support from parents, grandparents and the General Manager at Beadlow Manor, James Hetherington and his wife Caroline during the trip.
Gary Boyle, Junior Organiser, Beadlow Manor
Left to right; Gary Boyle, Conner Penning, Jack Munson, Will Murray, Ben Loveard, Luke Charalambous, Lewis Vereecque, Jamie Gibbons
Left to right; Conner Penning, Will Murray, Ben Loveard, Lewis Vereecque, Luke Charalambous, Jamie Gibbons, Jack Munson
Left to right; Lewis Vereecque, Conner Penning, Ben Loveard, Will Murray, Luke Charalambous, Jamie Gibbons, Jack Munson
Team receiving trophy from Morgado manager & CEO.
Beadlow travelling party
All pictures by James Hetherington.
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