MICHAEL Swan, who established his place in the Suffolk county first team last season, was a clear winner of the Cleveland Stoke by Nayland Junior Open with two rounds of 73 in breezy conditions.

By Tony Garnett

MICHAEL Swan, who established his place in the Suffolk county first team last season, was a clear winner of the Cleveland Stoke by Nayland Junior Open with two rounds of 73 in breezy conditions.

He held a one shot lead over Stowmarket duo Patrick Spraggs and Sam Forgan after the morning round on the Gainsborough course.

In the afternoon, Swan showed the greater consistency although a chip-in for a birdie from a greenside bunker at the par three 13th on the Constable course helped his cause considerably.

Spraggs, winner of the under 16 section, never gave up the chase and ended as runner-up overall five shots behind Swan.

Jack Jowers of Ipswich, another player in the under 16 section, was third overall with solid rounds of 76 and 77 off a handicap of four.

The two courses looked a picture in the sunshine although the greens were nowhere near as fast as when the European Seniors were at Stoke by Nayland last year.

On paper it looked as though the winner should be either Swan or Liam Brace who both play off plus one.

Brace, who had been training with the English Golf Union at Woodhall Spa over the weekend, lost his chance after an opening round of 80. He looked a bit weary.

Alistair Hall of Bungay faded rapidly after the battery on his trolley went dead. It can be no fun pushing a heavy bag up the Stoke by Nayland hills.

James Scade, who plays off two at Braintree and is a member of the Sports Academy, has been playing for only two years so the progress he has made in that short time has been spectacular.

Tom Stephenson of Bury St Edmunds is gradually getting back into the swing of things not having played much winter golf.

Korell Holley of Stowmarket, the Suffolk girls' captain, won the girls' event and together with Swan qualifies for the Daily Telegraph competition. Miss Holley won the cup presented by Rob van de Sande.

Swan, Brace and Owen Pearl won the gross team event while it was fitting that the two leading players on the day, Swan and Spraggs, should both pick up a prize for the longest drive.

Spraggs was best on the Gainsborough course while Swan drilled the ball a long way down the 12th on the Constable course.

Nearest the pin prizes went to Chris Soanes of Rookery Park, Billy Millar and Sam Wardle of Stoke by Nayland, and Angus Chisholm of Stowmarket.

Runners-up in the team prize were the Ipswich trio of Jowers, Chris Gooding and Alasdair Gillan.

Josh Cottrell of Rushmere was top of the under 14 section with rounds of 83 and 88. He is likely to make rapid improvement in the summer.

Charlie Sargeant of the host club started the day with a handicap of 28. After rounds of 94 and 91 to win the overall net prize with 129, 12 under his handicap on the day, he can expect to be cut.

Handicap section winners over 36 holes were Kabir Lali from Woolston Manor in the under 14s, Sam Voller of Stoke by Nayland in the under 16s and Tom Thornton Jones from Colne Valley in the under 18s.

Ryan Hastie and Billy Wilder, both of Stoke by Nayland, were best net on the Constable and Gainsborough respectively.

Round-up of scores

Gainsborough course first, Constable course second, Stoke by Nayland unless stated. Handicap in brackets:

Under 18

146: Michael Swan (plus 1) 73 73.

156: Billy Millar (Five Lakes 8) 80 76.

158: Robert Carter (Colchester 5) 84 74, Owen Pearl (1) 78 80, Liam Brace (plus 1) 80 78.

159: Sam Forgan (Stowmarket 2) 74 85, James Scade (Braintree 2) 81 78.

161: Tom Stephenson (Bury St Edmunds 2) 79 82.

162: Jack Canham (Lexden Wood 6) 79 83.

163: Harry Hogg (Fynn Valley 6) 83 80.

Other scores included:

171: Jonathan Day (Braintree 4) 88 83, Josh Day (10) 88 83, Philip Hartley (West Essex 7) 88 83.

172: James Reed (5) 81 91,

177: Sam Wardle (13) 87 90.

178: Charlie Marks (Stowmarket) 92 86.

179: Freddie Edmunds (Aldeburgh 3) 90 89.

181: Tom Thornton-Jones (Colne Valley 22) 89 92.

182: Sam Broadbent (Newton Green 12) 92 90.

Nr: James Draycott (Seckford) nr 85.

Under 16

151: Patrick Spraggs (Stowmarket 3) 74 77.

153: Jack Jowers (Ipswich 4) 76 77.

158: Adam Woodhead (Newton Green 5) 77 81, Ryan Talbot (Newton Green 5) 77 81.

159: Alasdair Gillan (Ipswich 5) 82 77, Alistair Hall (Bungay 1) 76 83.

160: Matthew Knight (Ilford 8) 77 83.

162: Sam Wilding (8) 82 80, Hugo Dobson (Fynn Valley 2) 84 78.

165: Chris Gooding (Ipswich 4) 85 80, Daniel Pritchard (Frinton 9) 81 84.

166: Luke Thompson (Rookery Park 7) 83 83.

167: Callum Monk (Rookery Park 6) 82 85.

168: John Fernandes (Enfield) 83 85.

169: Jack Cardy (Hintlesham 6) 86 83, Harry Raven (Gorleston 9) 81 88.

172: Jake Mowatt (Rookery Park 10) 85 87.

173: Ian Ledieu (Newton Green 12) 88 85, Rhys Callely (Lexden Wood 10) 88 85.

174: Chris Soanes (Rookery Park 6) 85 89.

197: Luke Skipping (Rushmere 19) 99 98, Billy Wilder (28) 95 102, Mitchell Scott (Newton Green 20) 100 97.

207: Marc Duszynski (Ipswich 28) 104 103.

211: Adam Bullock (28) 99 112.

214: Matt Jupp (Colne Valley 24) 100 114.

215: Gregory Carton (Felixstowe Ferry 22) 109 106.

Under 14

171: Josh Cottrell (Rushmere 16) 83 88.

175: Charlie Day (10) 91 84.

180: Marc Wingrove (Rivenhall Oaks 19) 91 89.

185: James Hatton (20) 91 94 Charlie Sargeant (28) 94 91.

186: Harry Potter (Forrester Park 14) 92 94, Max Hall (14) 92 94.

187: James Markham (Rushmere 20) 91 96, Thomas Moorland (Newton Green 19) 93 94.

190: Lewis Last (Fynn Valley) 91 99.

191: Ben David (Lexden Wood 18) 97 94.

193: Robert Salter (Ufford Park 21) 96 97.

Other scores included:

209: Scott Sloots (30) 106 103.

214: Lewis Woodhead (Newton Green 18) 107 107.

215: Angus Chisholm (Stowmarket 30) 106 109.

219: Daniel Aldous (Newton Green 28) 107 112.

Girls

165: Korell Holley (Stowmarket 7) 81 84.

190: Jessica Kaimakami (Blakes 12) 94 96.

206: Cheryl Chisholm (Stowmarket 18) 98 108.