GOLF: 36 in Broome battle for boys' crown

11:16am Saturday 12th April 2008

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THE Wiltshire Boys' Championship for the David Howell Trophy will be contested over 36 holes of the Broome Manor course on Monday when a new champion will be installed, writes Ernie Newell.

Ogbourne Downs' James Bethwaite, who eclipsed the field by four at South Wilts last spring with 145, is too old to defend his title.

Bethwaite, one of a set of golfing triplets, became the first Ogbourne holder of the under 18 championship and it was appropriate that he should achieve his success during his club's centenary year.

Monday's championship has attracted a full entry of 36 players with handicaps ranging from one to 10.

Ben Stow, 16, from Hamptworth, is the sole one-handicapper in the field.

It also includes four three-handicappers in Josh Loughrey, the Wiltshire junior champion from Wrag Barn, Wiltshire boys' captain Garry Slade (North Wilts), Finlay Charles (Hamptworth) and Yoshio Takeuchi (Broome Manor), and four four-handicappers, Callum Brown (Upavon), Rory Quigley (Bowood), Josh Plaister (Wrag Barn) and Ross Moore (Ogbourne Downs).

Howell is one of four Broome Manor winners of the 22-year-old championship, the others being ex-Brabazon champion Gary Harris, who won the title three times between 1989-94, 2003 champion Gary Haugh and Miles Mackman, the champion of 2004.

Mackman began his 2008 campaign on the national scene with joint eighth place in the Berkhamsted Trophy.

The St Joseph's-educated Swindonian, who turned 22 last month, recorded a 36-hole score for the 6,600-yard Hertfordshire course of 148, eight adrift of winner Andy Sullivan (Purley Chase).