Welsh boys on fire

Adam and Steve celebrate.

Teenagers Adam Young (16) and Steve Thomas (18) from St Mary’s Golf Club in South Wales are the new International Pairs champions after winning the British title at Mount Wolsey in South Ireland.

In wet and windy conditions, the young boyos with handicaps of two and eight respectively, fired an impressive first round of 45 stableford points to lead by four then added 34 points on day two.

Among those there to congratulate them was Christy O’Connor Jr, the former Ryder Cup hero, who designed the Carlow course used for the final.

Eighty golfers took part in this climax to weeks of qualifying rounds at clubs around the UK.

Young and Thomas won the overall Waterford Crystal trophy but consolation for second place went to Mark Lambert and Wayne Ramsey from Lofthouse Golf Club who took the award for the top English Pairs with a total of 77 points.

It was an emotional win for Mark, a warehouseman from Lofthouse near Wakefield whose mother died from cancer a few days earlier. He said it had been her wish that he should fulfil his commitment to compete in Ireland.

Diane Brian and Jayne Freeman from Redditch became the first pair to retain their overall title when they won the women’s pairs, while Mark Goddard and Gill Russell from the same club completed an historic double by take the mixed trophy.

Tournament organiser Ross Honey paid tribute to sponsors Stena Line, Glenmuir, and Hippo as well as to the clubs which had hosted the semi-finals and final.

Other winners were: Men’s pairs, Scotland: Graham Hillan and Barry Stevenson (Mouse Valley)76; Wales: Craig Spencer and David Peel (The Celtic Manor) 66; Ireland: Les Walsh and James Morrissey (St Helens Bay) 77. Mixed pairs, England: Paul and Joanne Farley (Peover) 63; Scotland: Angus and Kathleen Sutherland (Stromness) 64;
Ireland: Pat and Lilly Davis (Royal Tara) 61. Women’s pairs
(England): Judy Gascoigne and Pauline Bramley (Matlock) 65; Scotland: Jean Brydson and Gladys Kelly (Kirkudbright) 56; Ireland: Alison Bann and Thelma Smith (Portstewart) 61.