2015 HGU Boys Champion: Brad Skeates (Moor Park)
2015 BOYS CHAMPION – BRAD SKEATES (MOOR PARK)
2015 MALCOLM REID TROPHY WINNER (BEST U16) – DANNY DANIELS (ESSENDON)
2015 BOYS TEAM CHAMPIONS – MOOR PARK, FROM L TO R, RYANPAL UBHA, ABHISHECK PANKHANIA & BRAD SKEATES
Brad Skeates of Moor Park became Herts Boys Champion yesterday (July 29) at the Old Fold Manor golf course in Barnet, after an exciting play-off with rivals Matt Gumble of The Hertfordshire and Danny Daniels of Essendon.
The course was set up very fair and was presented beautifully for the 62 junior competitors from around Hertfordshire, playing 36 holes medal golf to determine our champion junior golfer for the year.
The morning round was played in dry but blustery conditions, but scoring was still good for the majority of the field. When play had concluded for the morning the 2014 Boys Champion Josh Taylor of Mill Green was tied for the lead with Danny Daniels of Essendon on 70 (-1). Danny’s round was a tale of 2 halves, starting from the tough par 4 11th and was +3 by the time he got to the 1st tee, but completed the front 9 in an impressive 31 shots, only to bogey his final hole of the morning, the short par 3 10th hole.
Just behind Taylor and Daniels were Brad Skeates and Matt Bennett of East Herts on 71 (LVL), Matt Gumble and Jack Sullivan, both from The Hertfordshire on 72 (+1) and Jared Tyacke of West Herts and Jack Slater of Letchworth on 73 (+2).
Taylor’s defence of his title would fade in the afternoon with a disappointing pm score of 77 (+6) for a total of 147 (+5). Daniels added a afternoon 72 (+1) for a total of 142 (LVL), but again would come to rue his finish, with bogeys at his 35th and 36th holes of the day on the long difficult par 4 17th and 18th holes. Playing with Danny, Brad would add another 71 (LVL) to tie Danny for the clubhouse lead. Matt Gumble added an afternoon 70 (-1) and would create a 3 way tie at the top, requiring a sudden death play off. Just missing out was Jared Tyacke, who shot an afternoon 71 (LVL), which would include 4 consecutive birdies from the 2nd to the 5th, to miss out on the play-off by 2 shots, on a total of 144 (+2).
The sudden death play off would begin from the 17th tee, the 464 yard par 4 hole, playing into the wind on the day. Rain started to fall as the players teed off and all 3 players managed the pressure well to hit good drives. Brad’s was the longest drive of the three and he would go on to hit the best of the approach shots. Brad would follow this to hole his putt from just off the green for an impressive birdie 3, while Matt and Danny would struggle for par at best. Danny would at least have the consolation of collecting the Malcolm Reid Trophy for the best U16 score on the day, winning this particular prize by 3 shots from Jack Sullivan of The Hertfordshire.
In the team event, Skeates would again taste victory with his Moor Park club mates, Ryanpal Ubha and 13 year old Abhisheck Pankhania, who impressed with his golf and attitude with scores of 76,76, to win the Boys Team Champions flag.
The CSS in the morning remained at 72, while in the afternoon reduced by 1 to 71.
Brad will now go forward to represent Hertfordshire in the England Golf Boys Champion of Champions event at Woodhall Spa in September, where we obviously wish him all the best for a successful week.
CLICK HERE FOR BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
CLICK HERE FOR BOYS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
CLICK HERE FOR BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP PAST WINNERS
CLICK HERE FOR MALCOLM REID TROPHY PAST WINNERS
CLICK HERE FOR BOYS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP PAST WINNERS
TOP 3 FROM THE 2015 HGU BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP, FROM L TO R, RUNNER UP MATT GUMBLE, WINNER BRAD SKEATES AND 3RD PLACE DANNY DANIELS
RUNNER UP MALCOLM REID TROPHY – JACK SULLIVAN OF THE HERTFORDSHIRE PICTURED WITH ALAN GREEN, HGU PRESIDENT ON LEFT AND DENNIS SOMARATHNE, CAPTAIN OLD FOLD MANOR.
