THE Worcestershire Golf Club hosted the prestigious County Boys Championship last week.

Some 66 boys, from 23 different Worcestershire clubs, descended on the course to pit their skills in a thirty-six hole competition.

Played on the hottest day of the year, the county organisers saw fit, before play commenced, to inform all the competitors of the need to drink plenty of fluid during their round and to wear a suitable hat.

Matthew Pates, of the Moseley Golf Club, had been runner-up in the competition for the past two years and was determined to go one better this year and win the Boys' County Championship.

In the morning eighteen holes round, six players returned net scores below the par of the course. Jamie Russell, from the Kings Norton Club, playing off a handicap of 14, returned the best net score of 63 to lead after the morning round. J Gregan, playing off a handicap of 12 from Moseley Golf Club, closely followed him with a net 65.

Jamie Theakston, of The Worcestershire, playing off a handicap of six, was the best of the local members returning a net score of 71. Runner-up for the past two years, Matthew Pates of Moseley playing off a handicap of two, returned a net 76. The clubhouse leader, with the best gross score, after the morning round, was Bradley Brookes of Redditch Golf Club who, playing off a handicap of three, returned a gross 72.

The heat intensified during the afternoon round and many players were unable to keep their game together during the second eighteen holes.

One boy actually collapsed with heat stroke in the afternoon, only to be expertly revived by the head green-keeper, a qualified first-aider, and was able to finish his round.

Many onlookers, at lunchtime, felt that Matthew Pates had again lost his chance to win the championship, but Matthew had other ideas and returned a gross score of 71 in the afternoon.

Together with his morning gross score of 78 Matthew returned a total gross score of 149 to win the Mansell Cup and the County Championship.

In second place, with a gross score of 151, was Bradley Brooke of the Redditch Golf Club. Robert Keeping of The Vale Golf Club was placed third with gross rounds of 79 and 74.

The winner of the Rigbey Cup, for the best net score, was Richard Humphries of Redditch. Playing off a handicap of 15, Richard returned net scores of 69 and 63. In second place with a net score for the 36 holes of 133 was Ben Hanlin of Fulford Heath Golf Club. Local player Jamie Dunster was the winner in the under 16 best net competition returning net scores of 67 and 68 off his handicap of 11.

The team prize, for the best gross scores from one club, was retained by the Moseley Club for the third successive year. The new net competition, instituted to determine who represents Worcestershire in the inaugural English Golf Union Junior Champion county Tournament at Woodhall Spa, was won by Redditch.

In the Ladies' Bogey Competition, the clear winner was Jill Piner, who returned a score of plus six. Jill was three points better than Liz Lewis and Veronica Shaw who came second and third respectively.

In the friendly match against Droitwich, The Worcestershire Ladies were clear winners by five matches to two.