Page 12 - RCGC Mag

The winning Hampshire team. Back row: Matt Wilcox, Colin Roope, Mark Burgess and Tom
Robson. Front row: Billy McKenzie, Martin Young and Ryan Harmer.

Team Captain Young confessed to tears as he played the 17th and he was
uncharacteristically speechless afterwards, although he did say: “This is so weird. I am so
unbelievably happy.”

His team, however, had a lot more to say about the win, fashioned in grim conditions of
wind and rain, which gave them their much-prized victory.

They went into the final day knowing a half would give them the title, but they wanted to
win their third match outright. They grabbed the advantage in the foursomes with one big
win from Young and partner Wilcox, who were three-under par when they finished 7/6; and
one snatched point from Billy McKenzie and Tom Robson. McKenzie knocked their second
on the 18th to 18in from the cup to set up a birdie and a 1up win.

In the singles, our man Tom Robson delivered the team’s first point on the 14th green and
commented: “It’s my fourth County Finals in five years and this means everything.”

Ryan Harmer quickly followed him with a grandstand finish against England international
Gian-Marco Petrozzi on the 18th. Harmer had been two up with four to play, was pulled
back to all square by Staffordshire birdies on 15 and 17 – but holed a 20-footer on the last
for birdie and a 1up win.

“This is incredible, something we have all wanted for so long,” he said. We have come so
close in previous years but it’s always been a bit of a battle on the final day. But today is our
day.”

Billy McKenzie was close behind battling Jack Gaunt, another England international, in a
tight match which was peppered with birdies. Gaunt took the game down 18 when he
birdied the 17th to get back to all square and the players went on to share the point
providing Hampshire’s winning half to secure the title.

“I knew everyone was well up so it made it easier coming down the stretch,” said Billy. “But
getting the winning half point is fantastic, especially against Jack who is a great player.

“I’ve had a good week, but it’s just great that I can play my part for the team,” he added.

Wilcox was Hampshire’s biggest points scorer with five wins from six starts, while McKenzie
and Robson both had 4.5 points from six games.

In the other match Somerset were determined to give themselves every chance of an
outside win. They knew that if Hampshire were beaten the result would be decided on
countback so they set out to amass as many points as possible and they beat
Northumberland 7-2.
They were 2-1 up in the foursomes and dropped just one singles point, to
Northumberland’s Matthew McClean. In the end it wasn’t enough but team captain Justin
Lane said: “We knew we had to come out hard today and hope Staffordshire would do us a