Amoungst those players who were looking for the Championship were home club players Ed Morton and Jon Taylor, Neither could manage a good morning round and found themselve 4 and 6 shots back. They would have to play well, something Ben Groutage (Walmley) has been doing for the whole of 2002. Runner Up in the Warwickshire Amateur, Groutage has returned home from Loughborough University on several occassions and each time looked an even better golfer. His 72 (-1) kept him right in contention, a score matched by another Student, Simon Laing (from Stratford).

Simon has been training to become a Doctor. Through this season, he has taken two shots off his handicap and won a number of trophies at Stratford. His easy swin as consistent and he would have a chance to revive the fortunes of a club whose Juniors (and Colts) were dominant in Warwickshire Golf in the mid to late 70 s.

Groutage had chances until bogies on 14 and 15 pushed him back. Like so many over the day, Laing too took four on the long par 3 15th. He came back with a birdie at 16 and parred in to tie Evans - and the play-off would be needed, over the 15th, 16th and the really tough 17th.

Yates (Atherstone) played himself into a top 5 place, whilst a 34 out (-2) gave Morton a chance but no-one over the day played the back nine in a really low score and when he came back in 38, he would have to settle for the U21 s Team prize, with Taylor and Adam Gassor, for the home club Coventry.

The play-off went to Crhis Evans through his excellent approach play. If Laing continues to progress as he has done, he will be winning Championships outside of Stratford. Chris Evans has several more National events to complete a Summer which has seen him rise to the top of the Junior order of Merit through his wins and his top 5 placings in just about everything he has enterred. He is a formidable golfer and part of a squad of younger players who may well take the U21 s for several years to come.