Ben Bernamont is now 1.7, after he posted a 68, his lowest round ever in the first round of the Boys and U-21s. He had four birdies and the highlight of an eagle at the 7th with a five foot putt. That left him three back from the lead (to his disbelief) and he closed that gap with two early birdies in his afternoon round.

'I was chuffed with that (the 68) - but the three putt on the last wasn't so great - I three putted the first as well!' said Bernamont.

'I lost that good start (in the afternoon) - and went to three over par with five to play. My finish (three birdies and the rest pars) was OK but I want to win this, and after today I know I can.'

Dale Marson had a poor opening 76 which include two double bogies as result of hooked three irons and nearly had to withdraw from the championships through running out of golf balls.

'I only had one Pro V1 left, then found two looking for the others - they were rubbish but I would have had to use them if needs be.'

Playing the back nine first, Dale got to -1 after nine holes via an eagle at the 14th with an 8 iron approach to 10ft. A three iron to inches at the 17th gave last years Champion a bit of a lift and from the 1st (proper) Marson went birdie, birdie, par, par, birdie, par, eagle, birdie - reducing the 7th to three shots with a four iron to 6ft.

On the last, faced with a 6ft putt to beat the course record set by Sullivan in the morning, Dale could not stop himself from following the ball - as it missed low. Great round, a share of a course record, and third place with 141.

Sullivan dropped no shots in his morning 65. He birdied the 1st, the 4th, the 7th and the 8th going out - and added an eagle for good measure at the 5th with a 6 iron to 10ft.

Coming back there was only one more red number, a four the the long 14th which he hit a 9 iron to.

'I missed a chance on virtually every hole on the back nine but that 65 was good, my lowest round of the year so far.'

The afternoon was looking like a very steady round in the late 60s as Sullivan slotted home a 15 footer on the 2nd, his 10th to leave himself with three par fives in his last eight holes. Off what he thought were good drives on two of them, Andy was stymied behind trees and compounded any problems getting pars by two three putts. There were no problems with pars on the rest of the holes but he was dissappointed with his finish and will learn how to make the most of his prodigious talents in the future -

'I hope I don't lose it with that', said Andy, 'But if that is good enough, I'm really chuffed.'

Hearing news of Marson's course record as he finished, Andy did not remember that last year's Champion was well back after the morning round for just a moment. It took twenty minutes before the win was there on the projector screen in the Clubhouse for the field to see.

Andy takes a final Junior title at Warwickshire level and will now head to the British Boys with some confidence, and to lead his team into the English County Finals next month at Little Aston GC, just a few hundred yards down the road from Sutton.

Full results, with full news of the Team Championships, will be posted later tonight. A full gallery of pictures with come very shortly.