Ben Sessions, from Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club, won both his singles matches on his debut to help England U 16’s to a final day victory in their annual fixture against Ireland and in doing so underlined his status as one of the best young golfers in the country.
Played at the glorious links course at Burnham & Berrow, Ben and the English team comprising of 6 boys and 6 girls did not get off to the hoped for start in the morning foursomes. Ben partnered by his team captain, Charlie Rusbridge from Colne Valley G C, lost their match on the fifteenth green with Ireland taking 3 ½ – 2 ½ match lead at lunch.
Ben certainly put the morning disappointment behind him, when he won the opening hole of his afternoon singles; a lead he would not surrender as he went on to claim victory on the 16th Green. With the overall singles matches being shared Ireland retained their slender one point advantage at the end of day one.
12 further singles were played on the Sunday and the draw gave Ben an opportunity to extract revenge against John Moran, who was one the opponents he had faced in his pairs defeat on the Saturday. Moran had other ideas and with almost faultless golf was 2 up after seven holes. Ben’s answer to this was to birdie holes eight and nine to reach the turn all square. He then drained long putts on the next two holes for halves and with his drives almost bisecting the narrow fairways Ben was to win the next three holes before the match was conceded on the sixteenth green.
Ben was one of only three English players to win both their singles matches as the England team won this final session by 7 ½ to 4 ½ and therefore claim an overall victory against Ireland by a close margin of 16-14.
