Navigation

Toby reaches the top of the Tree

Monday, 18 August 2008
Paula Benn
0 Comments

Toby's closing 71 for 145, one under par, gave the 14 year old a two-stroke winning margin from Yorkshire’s Will Whiteoak with three players a further shot back on 148.

“This was my aim for the year,” said Tree. “All my preparations were targeted towards this so I’m thrilled. I felt two under today would be good enough to win and that’s what I did.”

Tree, who plays for every Sussex team from under 18 to under 14, began the final round a shot off the lead but with every chance of overhauling the logjam at the top.

Although he dropped a shot at the short second, he made his intentions clear from the start with an eagle-three at the third and followed with a birdie at the 135-yard seventh. His only other bogey came at the eighth to reach the turn in 35 which left him on level par for the tournament and tied for the lead. With everything to play for, Tree was still at the top with three to play. But when he birdied the long 16th it left the rest with a lot to do.

The two-handicapper from Southwater, who won the Sussex under 14 title when just 12 and the Laddie Lucas Spoon last year, has staked his claim for further success.

“I want to make the England under 16 team,” he added. “My overall ambition is to be a touring professional.”

Whiteaok, from Keighley, shot 74 for 147 but couldn’t find any birdies over the closing stretch to challenge Tree, while two Irish lads, Kieran Lynch, who bettered par with a closing 72, and Ross Young shared third spot with Spain’s Casto Gomez Ruiz.

The best score by a player aged under 13 went to Italy’s Federico Zucchetti, who was the only other players to beat par with 72 for 151, five over par.

Final results, news and hole by hole scores can be found on the Championships section of the EGU website, www.englishgolfunion.org.