Doughill takes Midland U16s honours for 2004

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With two rounds of 72, it was a great performance from one of the youngest of the Warwickshire contingent in the 2004 Midland Boys at Moseley GC. With our County having won this Post and Mail trophy for Midland Boys itself, each of the last three years, expectations were high throughout but eventually only Chris Doughill was able to claim a Midland Trophy.

There was bad news at the beginning of the day when Andy Sullivan, probably the best Junior in the Midlands on current form, was late for his tee off time having been caught in really bad traffic on the local motorways. That left the likes of Jake Amos (Leics), Rob Harris (Lincs) and Tom Oliver (Notts) feeling more optimistic of their chances – as well as all our best Juniors.

Having won the England Schoolboys in 2003, Rob Harris has gone on to play for the Lincolnshire 1sts and win other titles, as well as EGU recognition. This was his last chance for the Midland Boys and his opening 67 was three shots better than any other player.

The next best score of 70 was from a Warwickshire player, Rob Browning. Rob was +2 after only four holes but then birdied the 18th and the 7th. He would only make four birdies all day, giving him little chance of making the overall score needed to win.

Two shots back was Chris Doughill with a 72. Chris was playing at the end of the field with Tom Oliver and Harris and he matched the Lincs star for red figures in the morning round. There was a double bogey though and five bogies. Oliver was on 73.

Warwickshire had two 74s, from Dale Marson and Jak Hamblett. Both added 75s in the afternoon and would not figure in the prizes. Ben Stafford managed a 75 in the morning but with a –1 for the first nine of the afternoon was then at +4 and very much in with a chance to try and repeat his 2002 win. He would need an under par back nine.

Having got up and down from everywhere in the morning, Rob Browning was +3 for his front nine and dropped two more shots to finish with a 75. That would be good enough for tied 3rd.

For Ben, the last eight holes were a bit of a disaster. He dropped eight shots to finish with a 77. There was a very good afternoon round from Neil Taylor, a 70, leaving him on 147.

Harris went out in one under for the front nine of his second 18 and now had a six shot advantage over Chris as the Stoneleigh player doubled the 16th. Chris could only make two birdies over the final 18 but his consistent play all added up to a second successive 72 – and second place behind Harris who added a 71 to his opening 67 for 138 to take the famous trophy which has the names of the likes of Lee Westwood on it as well as many other notable Tour winners.

Comments on the day –

Stuart Yates (80 + 75) – ‘I just didn’t hole anything in the morning but after being +4 after the first six, I played very solidly coming home.’

Rob Browning – ‘Four birdies all day – that’s dire. My short game was sizzling in the morning.’

Jak Hamblett – ‘I was inconsistent in the morning and my short game (and my wedges) were awful all day.’

Chris Doughill – ‘It was all a bit up and down – I couldn’t get it going in the afternoon – My trolley went and that put me off a bit.’

Dale Marson – ‘I limited the damage all day – but dropping a shot on the pick up holes was no good – my best hole was the 1st in the afternoon when I drove the green and two putted for a three.’

Scores –

A number of player pictures have been added to the gallery in

County Men | Championships | Boys | Pictures

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David Morgan on 2004-07-14