Boys County Champion 2026 – Jack Wilkins of Harpenden Common

Our annual County Boys Championship was played yesterday (Mon 26 July) at Old Fold Manor Golf Club, located on the outskirts of Barnet. 

A total of 57 junior boys golfers took part in the 36 hole medal strokeplay championship event, sharing the morning round with 15 of their female counterparts, before continuing into the hot afternoon on their own. 

The long hot summer has made all the courses play extremely firm and fast and Old Fold Manor was no exception. The greens, which are the courses main defence, were very smooth and true, with a good fair pace on all putts and some scarier ones going downhill. 

The weather on the day was dry and fine with some strong breezes at times, keeping the temperatures down to reasonable levels, but providing a sterner challenge. 

After the morning round, 4 players led the way with rounds of 72 +1, 3 younger players and 1 more experienced head. The elder of the quartet was Ronnie Seagroatt of Hanbury Manor, and he would hold the halfway lead with a trio of younger players, Under 14 Boys Team Captain this year Jack Wilkins of Harpenden Common, Mihir Pasura of Moor Park and George Lancaster of Sandy Lodge. 

In the afternoon round, Alfie Kitteridge of Bishop’s Stortford set the early mark to meet with a total of 147 +5, but this was soon beaten by Jack Wilkins who posted an impressive pm round of 70 -1 to add to his morning round of 72 for a total of 142 level par for the day. Pasura, Seagroatt and Lancaster all faded away somewhat in the afternoon, leaving only a best of the day round from the last groups between Wilkins and the title. The 2025 Runner Up River Gardiner of Porters Park also shot a great pm round of 70 -1 for a total of 143 +1 for the day, falling narrowly and agonisingly short once again. James Andrews of Letchworth finished in 3rd position with a score of 145 +3. 

Jack Wilkins also won the Malcolm Reid Trophy for the best Under 16 score of the day, with the aforementioned Alfie Kitteridge in 2nd on 147. 

The Boys Team Championship, played for the Commemorative Flag, was an extremely close run thing, with a countback required to separate the top 2 teams, Bishop’s Stortford and Porters Park, who had tied on a score of 299. Ultimately use of the discarded 3rd scores proved the decider in the favour of Bishops Stortford, who therefore retained their title. Bishops Stortford were represented by Alfie Kitteridge, Oliver Bannister & Jesse Rasor. 

The event was kindly supported by GX Gloves, who provided all the competitors with a free glove prior to teeing off and also provided an additional voucher prize for the scratch winner.

Jack Wilkins, who was only 13 years old at the start of the year, is one of the youngest winners of the County Boys Championship in the events history. Jack now progresses to represent Hertfordshire at the England Golf Boys Champion of Champions event played at Woodhall Spa GC in September. 

Next years County Boys Championship will be played at Welwyn Garden City GC on its traditional spot of the first Monday of the full school summer holiday period, Monday 26th July 2027.