Seb's got skills (From Swindon Advertiser)

Seb's got skills

6:00am Saturday 1st September 2012 in Sport

OGBOURNE Downs youngster Sebastian James served notice of his precocious talent when he won the south west regional final of the English Golf Union’s National Skills Challenge.

The 10-year-old from Wroughton was in top form at Kendleshire Golf Club in Bristol. In a tight event, James held his nerve to win by two points and will now play in the national final at the end of September at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire.

James qualified for the south west regional final by finishing third in the south west region over two events at North Wilts Golf Club in Calne, where he is also a member.

Junior golfers from 10 counties which make up the south west region completed the two events in May and June, and the top three in the region went on to play in the regional final.

James took up golf two years ago at Broome Manor, where he still plays. In January this year he joined both Ogbourne Downs Golf Club and North Wilts Golf Club, where his golf has continued to develop.

Meanwhile, Cirencester hosted its popular inter-services competition recently, which was played by 18 teams of three players.

The format was Texas scramble and the team representing the Navy, Evan Jarrett, Mike Bishop and Patrick Moylan were victorious.

Their nett score was 63.8 which was enough to see off another Navy team of Gordon Stone, Jeremy Briggs and David Purkiss, who netted 66.7. In third place representing the Army with a nett score of 67.1 were John Whitbread. Ian Allan and Neil Grant.

Meanwhile, Cirencester Seniors secured a comfortable 5-2 win over Chipping Norton.

There were victories for skipper David Findlay and John Hall (three and two), Robert Evans and Joe Hickey (seven and six), John Davis and Alan Dymond (three and two), Mark Woodhead and Ron Carroll (three and two), and Ken Anderson and Steph Episcopi, who won at the last hole.

Cirencester also squeezed to a 4-3 victory at home to Cotswold Edge.

Winning were Anderson and Joe Hickey (two and one), Tony Gattrell and Woodhead, Geoffrey Cottrell and Geoff Southwell (four and two), and Gordon Stone and Dave Duroe (five and four).