SUFFOLK boys won the Anglian League golf final against Lincolnshire at Hintlesham by six and a half matches to five and a half. It was a notable success considering six of the Suffolk team are still in the under 16 age group.

By Tony Garnett

SUFFOLK boys won the Anglian League final against Lincolnshire at Hintlesham by six and a half matches to five and a half.

It was a notable success considering six of the Suffolk team are still in the under 16 age group.

Both teams had players unavailable because of a clash with the British Boys' Championship at Royal Porthcawl.

Honours were shared in the foursomes with good wins from the established pairings of Hugo Dobson and Patrick Spraggs and the Ipswich duo, Jack Jowers and Chris Gooding.

These four players also won their singles with Tom Stephenson scoring the half that proved so vital.

Suffolk junior champion Alastair Hall went down to Sam Sharpe who was five under par. Joe Cardy, leading early on, ended one down as did Adam Woodhead who took his match with David Walsh to the last green after being two down with two to play.

Suffolk won four of the final five singles. Dobson, Spraggs and Gooding had convincing wins and the outcome rested on the game between Jowers and Tom Ladbrook.

Jowers was one up with three to play. On the 16th Jowers hit an exquisite shot from a greenside bunker to stay level. On the 17th Jowers had a lost ball in the trees on the right so it was all square on the final tee.

On the final par five Ladbrook's drive was close to tree on the right of the fairway. He was allowed a free drop from a rabbit scrape but his line was obscured by branches so he could not go for the green.

Jowers was in the green in two after a massive drive and two-putted for a birdie. Ladbrook put his third to within five feet but his putt missed narrowly or there would have been a play-off.

Suffolk men's team meet Lincolnshire in an Anglian League decider on September 9 on the same course.

Anglian League final scores

SUFFOLK BOYS 6.5 LINCOLNSHIRE BOYS 5.5

At Hintlesham

Foursomes (Suffolk names first):

Joe Cardy and Tom Stephenson lost to Dan Keddie and James Burnett one down.

Hugo Dobson and Patrick Spraggs beat Sam Sharpe and Tom Ladbrook 3 and 1.

Alastair Hall and Adam Woodhead lost to Laurance Warne and Lee Drury 4 and 3.

Jack Jowers and Chris Gooding beat Craig Thurston and David Walsh 2 and 1.

Singles: Cardy lost to Burnett one down, Stephenson halved with Keddie, Hall lost to Sharpe 5 and 4, Dobson beat Warne 3 and 1, Spraggs beat Drury 5 and 4, Woodhead lost to Walsh one down, Gooding beat Thurston 3 and 2, Jowers beat Ladbrook one up.