Carmarthen Juniors Finish in Style

After a somewhat shaky start to the televised Home Nations Junior Team Golf Championships at La Manga Club in Spain, the Welsh national champions, Carmarthen, eventually found the form that initially saw them qualify for the tournament.

The first day of the championships saw the four national champions from Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales take to the famous championship South Course at La Manga Club, to battle it out for the prestigious Home Nations title. Carmarthen’s first day opponents were the Scottish team, Craigielaw, who were also the Scottish representatives in last year’s championships.

Things did not go well for Carmarthen, as they eventually lost five of their six medal match play matches to lose 5-1. The score line belied the fact that the match was a very close encounter and could quite easily have swung either way, but it was the experience of the Scottish team that proved the difference on the day.

Day two did not provide an easier challenge for Carmarthen, as they had the task of trying to overcome the pre-championship favourites, Ireland’s Co. Sligo. However, the Welsh outfit managed subdue their first day nerves and give the Irish contenders an early scare, with victories in the first three matches. This early pressure would surely have crushed any other team, but such was the fortitude of Co. Sligo, that they managed to grind out a 4-2 victory. Despite their loss it was the Welsh team’s brave performance that caught the headlines on day two of the championships.

The final day’s play presented Carmarthen with a wooden spoon play off against the English side, Hallamshire. The final match in particular, provided immense excitement on the 18th green watched by a captivated crowd and Sky TV’s cameras rolling. With the match finely balanced at 3-2 in favour of Carmarthen, Steffan Griffiths the Welsh number six, left himself with an extremely tough putt, which poor execution could have cost him the match.

However he confidently stepped up to the ball and holed the downhill, left to right 15 foot putt at the first time of asking, much to the delight of his fellow team mates and Welsh supporters, celebrating as if they had won the championship itself.

Carmarthen’s star player throughout the whole campaign, had been Matthew Moseley and he fully deserved the Alex Hay Cup presented to the player who contributed the most to his or her club’s team effort during the finals. In addition, Aled Griffiths won himself a personalised Cleveland pitching wedge for scoring the lowest single round net score for his team.

When asked to reflect on the championships, Wyn James the Carmarthen Junior Organiser said, “I am extremely proud of the boys’ efforts. We deserved to win today and finish third overall, because of the hard work that has been put in by all.

“We have enjoyed this week thoroughly and once again the championships have proved to be a great success.”

Carmarthen have headed home to Wales with their heads held high, proud of their performances during the week and more determined than ever to qualify for the finals again next year, to compete for this prestigious title.