Surrey’s Ben Partridge withstood a late charge from Devon’s Matt Millar to win the English Boys’ County Champion of Champions event over the Red course at Frilford Heath.
Partridge (Epsom) held a two shot lead after an opening three under par 69 but was briefly caught by Millar’s closing six under 66 before carding birdies on the 16th and 17th to claim a narrow one shot victory on five under par 139.
He becomes the first player from Surrey to clinch the title since Greg Payne tied for first place with Matt Fitzpatrick (Yorkshire), Jewatt Parmer (Rutland) and Jack Singh Brar (Hampshire, the Isle of Whyte and Cl ) Woodhall Spa in 2011.
He also succeeds Yorkshire’s Ben Schmidt (Rotherham) as champion who has since gone on to win the Brabazon and Carris Trophies and to play for the winning English team at the Men’s Home Internationals at Lahinch.
Millar (Dainton Park) had been five shots off the pace after an opening 74 but he jumped six places up the leaderboard with a 66 which included a four under par inward half of 32. His four under par 140 aggregate was enough to see him finish one shot ahead of Suffolk’s George Fricker (Woodbridge) and two in front of Derbyshire’s Sam Potter (Marriott Breadsall Priory) and Notinghamshire’s Samuel Allen (Notts) who all closed with one under par rounds of 71.
Norfolk’s Ben Willis (Swaffham) also fired a last round 71 to share sixth place with Cheshire’s Jake Hibbert (Delamere Forest) on 147.
Image Credit: Leaderboard Photography.