Bedfordshire Schools staged the first County Championship anywhere in the UK since the Covid lockdown struck all sports last March. The 2021 County Schools Boys, Girls and Team Scratch Championships were held during half term at Aspley Guise & Woburn Sands GC but were sadly reduced to a 9 hole result. 43 players from 18 different schools across the County met to compete for the five scratch titles.
The final results were affected by strong winds and several torrential heavy showers that created challenging conditions during the day. Eventually all the players were called off the course, due to heavy rain and a lightning claxon, after the last group teed up on the 11th hole. Flooded greens and fading light for those last groups concluded the decision to finish for the day.
In the Boys Championships, Wootton Academy Trust had an outstanding day winning the Team Championship ahead of defending Champions, Bedford School, and 10 other teams with a score of 71 ahead of Bedford's Freddie Tucker (Highgate GC) (40) and Jack Peters (Northampton County GC) (39) total of 79. Wootton's home grown winning team were Aidan Abbott (The Millbrook GC) (35), Connor Tallentire (Beds & County GC) (36) and Ketan Lall (Pavenham Park GC) (40 discard score) taking the title for only the second time (2005 previously).
Aidan Abbott (gross 35) took the U/18 Boys title and Connor Tallentire (gross 36) U/16 Boys title completed a unique triple clean sweep never achieved by any school since the Championships started in 1979. This was also the first time a Wootton golfer has won either individual title too. Connor was one of the few to finish with a very creditable 73 overall.
Wootton now go forward as County Champions to represent Bedfordshire Schools in the National Team Championship at Woodhall Spa next July. Bedford School will go into a ballot for the remaining places. Connor and Aidan will go forward to represent the County at Regional and National Championships in 2021.
Photo (left to right (Connor Tallentire, Ketan Lall, Aidan Abbott, Tim Detheridge - Head of VI Form College, Wootton Academy)
BEDFORDSHIRE SCHOOLS 2021 SCRATCH CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
Boys Individual Championship 18 holes medal gross for the ‘Johnson Salver'.
Champion: Aidan Abbott, (Wootton Upper) 35
Runner Up: Leo Soe, (Queensbury) 39
3rd : Freddie Tucker, (Bedford School) 40 (Back 6 countback 26)
4th : Lawrence Jeffreys,(Bedford School) 40 (Back 6 countback 27)]
Girls Individual Championship 18 holes medal gross for the ‘Forrester Salver'
Champion: Roisin Scanlon, (Bedford Girls) 42
Under-16 Boys Individual Championship 18 holes medal gross for the ‘Charlie O'Brien Cup'
Champion: Connor Tallentire, (Wootton Upper) 36
Runner Up: Jack Peters, (Bedford School) 39 (Back 3 countback 13)
3rd : Eddie Wade, (Bedford School) 39 (Back 3 countback 14)
Under-16 Girls Individual Championship 18 holes medal gross for the ‘The Priory Chalice'
Champion: Roisin Scanlon, (Bedford Girls) 42
Runner Up: Sommer Chan, (Linslade Academy) 44
Team Championship 18 holes medal (2 or 3 in a Team the best 2 scores) for the‘Cyril Rose Shield'
Champions: Wootton Upper 1, Aidan Abbott 35 / Connor Tallentire 36 / Ketan Lall 41
Runner Up: Bedford School 2 , Jack Peters 39 / Freddie Tucker 40
Best Nett: Kai Williams (Lincroft Academy) 35.5. 2nd Best Nett: Robbie Simpson (Harlington Upper) 36.5 (on countback). 3rd Best Nett: Will Wilkins (Bedford Modern) 36.5