Yorkshire’s Charlie Rusbridge emerged victorious at the English U18 Championship held at Hesketh GC, clinching the title with a birdie on the second play-off hole.
Rusbridge, hailing from Colne Valley, ended up tied for the lead after 72 holes alongside Harrison Sewell and Daniel Hayes, as all three players finished at -11 after their four rounds in Southport.
The 16-year-old Rusbridge began the tournament strongly with a 67 on the opening day, followed by a +1 on Saturday. An exceptional first round on Sunday morning, where he aced the 2nd hole and eagled the 18th to finish with a 66, coupled with a final round of -1, helped him secure a spot at the top of the leaderboard.
Sewell had a slow start with +3 on the first day, but strong performances on the second and third day (-3) and a remarkable Hesketh course record-breaking round (-8) on the final day propelled him into contention for the title.
Hayes also faced challenges initially but surged back with a level-par opening round, followed by strong performances on the following days to force his way into the play-off with a crucial birdie on the 72nd hole.
The play-off came down to the wire with all three players paring the first hole. However, Rusbridge’s comfortable two-putt birdie on the second play-off hole secured him the English U18 championship title.
Reflecting on his win, Rusbridge expressed his disbelief and joy at coming out on top after a tough battle throughout the week. He highlighted the rollercoaster final day, including his first-ever hole-in-one and the resilience he showed after a subsequent bogey.
A total of five players managed to shoot under-par at the event, with Oscar Lent finishing in 4th at -8 and Drew Sykes in 5th at -7, boosted by a stellar second round performance.
