Chedhomme signs off from juniors as county champion

The 17-year-old won by a shot as he finished on a 36-hole aggregate of 141 to complete a remarkable treble of Guernsey, CI and Hampshire junior titles in one season and his name now joins stars such as Justin Rose and Richard Bland on the Hampshire County honours board.

‘It is quite cool,’ said Chedhomme, with a degree of understatement about being in possession of the same trophy previously won by world-renowned professionals.

The par 69 course offered a great test with fantastic greens and particularly demanding back-to-back par threes on the back nine.

Playing in the last group, Chedhomme was drawn with home favourites Harvey Denham and Harrison Price, both formidable players with Denham off plus-four.

The Guernsey player was tied for the lead at lunch with Jack Field after a level-par morning round that included six birdies.

With two other players a shot back, it was all set up for a fantastic second round which did not disappoint.

Chedhomme got off to a fast start in the afternoon and was two-under after three, but a run of four consecutive bogeys threatened to derail his championship.

He kept his head, though, and showed great resilience to fight back.

Chedhomme was trailing Rowlands Castle’s James Plater by a shot as they came down the stretch, but Plater hit trouble on the 17th when his ball plugged in a bunker.

The Sarnian hit an excellent tee shot on the same hole, which just trickled off the green leaving him a tricky up and down.

He was unfortunate to make a bogey and when he stepped on the 18th tee, he was completely unaware of the situation at the top of the leaderboard.

Chedhomme then proceeded to hit a tremendous tee shot leaving him 118 yards into the green from the semi rough. He flighted a superb 50-degree wedge, which spun back to seven feet.

Although he did not know it, the putt was for the championship and he calmly proceeded to roll it in the middle of the cup to much to the delight of the watching Guernsey support.

‘Going down the last hole, I knew I was in it but one of the guys I was playing with is friends with guys in the group in front and was in contact with them and I thought one of those in front was playing quite well, so I just tried to finish off with a good score,’ Chedhomme said.

‘I was really happy just making a birdie down the last, but I didn’t even know I had won until the Guernsey guys by the green started celebrating.’

It was the biggest victory of Chedhomme’s career so far and fitting that in his last junior event he leaves as a county champion.

‘It’s a nice morale booster ahead of the inter-insular. The season’s been good, but it has not been my best [in terms of general play], so that has probably come at a good time,’ said the youngster who will be making his first home appearance in a men’s inter-insular next week having finished unbeaten on his debut at Grouville last September.

Guernsey had 11 players in the Hampshire Junior Championships and island players secured four top 10 finishes in the main event.

Tanner Austin was the next highest Guernsey player in sixth courtesy of a fantastic 70 gross in the second round, which was the lowest score in the field in the afternoon.

Just behind him was Rory McKenna with Conor McKenna in ninth.

In the U13 championships Alex Mills shot a superb 81 to win the second gross prize with a great round of golf. Thomas Chamberlain had a great day shooting the third best gross score of 83 resulting in winning the nett prize with a 66.

Both boys have been in the Hampshire development squad this season and will have been sure to impress the selectors for next season with their outstanding performances.

A major junior event would not be complete without Lewis O’Brien showcasing his wonderful talent and he was at it again plotting his way around the course superbly to win runner-up nett in his category and finish eighth gross.