InBrief

★ England squad player James Claridge won the Berkhamsted Trophy after shooting the lowest score in the tournament’s 62-year history.

The 20-year-old from Enville Golf Club in Somerset fired rounds of 67, 66 and 69 for a recordbreaking 11-under-par total to finish three shots clear of West Herts Golfer Zach Little, and a shot further ahead of Gog Magog’s Jake Plumb.

The event had to be cut to 54 holes from its traditional 72 after the second round was ruled out with heavy rain, but the fastdraining Berkhamsted course recovered quickly overnight to enable two rounds to be played on the final day.

Claridge, who won last year’s Walton Heath Trophy, was having his second crack at winning the Berkhamsted Trophy. He said: “Since being picked for the England squad I have learnt to play with more aggression but less recklessness. The way Berkhamsted plays, with gorse frequently crossing the fairway, makes you think defensively, but I tried to bully it a bit. Thankfully it worked!”

★ Canterbury GC professional Richard Wallis combined with amateur partner Barry Langford to win the PGA South Region’s Prince’s 27 tournament. Held over Princes Golf Club’s Shore, Dunes and Himalayas courses in very wet and windy conditions, the winners held off the challenge of Precision Golf’s Paul Nessling and amateur partner Nick Hill by the narrowest of margins, with Paultons Golf Centre’s Lewis Scott and amateur partner Stu Hayward taking third.

★ Welwyn Garden City GC’s Louie Bloxham won the Herts Schools Scratch Championship after shooting a gross 73 in testing conditions at Harpenden Common Golf Club. Played in high winds, often gusting to 50mph, Bloxham, representing Richard Hale School, won on countback from Harpenden’s own Josh Robinson, who was representing Sir John Lawes School. Louie also won the U16 section and the overall best score, ensuring he left with two trophies. The girl’s overall winner was Tala Clarke of Knebworth Golf Club representing Marriotts School, who fired a gross 79, while AIxie Akpan of John O’Gaunts Golf Club, representing The Highfield School, won the under 16 trophy with a gross 83. The tournament attracted a field of 48 boys and 11 girls.