CAPTION:  Greg Holmes (Royal Birkdale GC) is presented with the Lancashire County Boys Championship trophy by Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs President Michael Lay

GREG HOLMES secured a dramatic and historic victory to become Lancashire County Boys champion for the second successive year.

The 17-year-old, who plays out of Royal Birkdale GC, becomes the first player to lift the title in back-to-back seasons for 23 years.

He followed up an opening 72 in the morning over a tricky and well-presented challenge at Crompton and Royton Golf Club, near Oldham, to go two shots better in the second round and secure a narrow one-shot success with a combined total of two over par 142.

But the result was in the balance until the closing two holes after the only players to break par in the morning round – Josh Fallows, also from Royal Birkdale, and Louis Talarcyzk (Royal Lytham & St Annes) – had thrown down the gauntlet.

Both found it difficult to build on the 69s they returned in the first round, with Fallows adding a 75 to finish in third overall with a 144 total.

But Talarcyzk was in contention up until the penultimate hole, when his second to the 17^th found out of bounds at the rear of the green and Holmes suddenly had a two-shot advantage going down the last.

Talarcyzk showed great character to drill in a 15 feet putt for birdie on the 18^th to close with a 74 and a total of 143, which saw him finish runner-up.

Holmes, who has established himself in the Lancashire men’s team over the past 12 months, went into the event in good form, having finished in fifth at the Fairhaven Trophy.

But he felt he could have played better, commenting: “I did not hit my irons as well as I would like but I felt my putting was good.”

And none more so than on that crucial 17^th hole, where he drained a seven feet par putt to make sure he took advantage of his closest rival’s late stumble.

“This was one of the events I had targeted for the season, but it has been a tough six months,” added Holmes, who dedicated his victory to his late mother Sue.

Holmes – who is also a member of his hometown club, Wigan – joins the list of multi-winners of the title.

ID Gradewell finished as champion for three successive seasons from 1968-70 while M Tomlinson was also a three-time winner in 1976, 1978 and 1980. Double winners include P Robinson in 1981 and ’83, S Andrew 1991/92, S Whitehead 1994/95, Matthew Baldwin, now a European Tour player, in 2000 and 2002 and, most recently, Oliver Clarke in 2014 and 2016.

Royal Lytham – represented by Louis Talarcyzk and Jamie van Wyk  – will go forward as Champion Club to represent Lancashire at the English finals at Frilford Heath GC in August.

RESULTS

Championship Plate: Greg Holmes (Royal Birkdale, 72-70-142)

Runner-up: Louis Talarcyzk (Royal Lytham & St Annes, 69-74-143)

Third place: Josh Fallows (Southport and Birkdale, 69-75-144)

Best nett total: Elliott Tickle (Blackley, 69-66-135)

Best morning nett: Thomas Watson (Dean Wood, 69)

Best afternoon nett: Jack McPhail (Huyton and Prescot, 69)

Best morning gross: Grady Rogerson (Royal Lytham & St Annes, 69)

Best afternoon gross: Jamie van Wyk (Royal Lytham & St Annes, 72)

Champion club: Royal Lytham & St Annes (Louis Talarcyzk, Jamie van Wyk)

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Lancashire – Four Counties winners again (left to right, back row) Louis Tarlaczyk (Royal Lytham & St Annes), Jamie Van Wyk (Royal Lytham & St Annes), Greg Holmes (Royal Birkdale), Neil Dalton (Junior Chairman), Luke Bartram (Rossendale), John Wilding (Heysham) and James Andrews (Pleasington).
(Front) Josh Fallows (Royal Birkdale) and Grady Rogerson (Royal Lytham & St Annes)

LANCASHIRE’S young golfers are enjoying that winning feeling again!

The best of the up and coming young players in the county retained their Four Counties crown at Sherwood Forest.

The annual competition pits the boys team from the Red Rose county against their counterparts from Cheshire, Nottinghamshire, and Shropshire and Herefordshire. Nottinghamshire were the hosts this year.

The team of eight included five players that had not appeared in the event before while two who play off scratch were unavailable as they were competing in the Midland U16 Boys Open.

But the squad rose to the challenge superbly, with three wins out of three.

On the first day in the morning Lancashire beat S&H 5-2 and followed that by seeing off Nottinghamshire 4.5-2.5 in the afternoon. A 6-1 success over Cheshire on the final secured a third successive title for the defending champions.

Josh Fallows (Royal Birkdale) won all his three matches, leaving it very late in two of them. Against Nottinghamshire he was two down with three to play, only to win on the last hole.

In his final match against Cheshire he was two down with four to play and again he won on the last.

Louis Talaczyk (Royal Lytham & St Annes) was unbeaten with two wins and a half.

Lancashire Junior Chairman Neil Dalton said: “The boys came together as a team and played some outstanding golf, especially at a time when it was required in the matches against Cheshire and Nottinghamshire.

“A special mention must go to the Josh Fallows, ‘the comeback kid’ winning all of his matches, while Greg Holmes (Royal Birkdale), our Boys Champion, set the example at the front of the field.

“I am immensely proud of the way boys conducted themselves throughout and their achievement in retaining the title against strong opposition.”

The course was actually covered in snow the day before the practice round while a late downpour at the end of the second day fortunately only affected a few matches.

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