RYAN Henley gave Hampshire golf a priceless early-season shot in the arm when he lifted the 30th Selborne Salver at Blackmoor on Saturday. The +2 handicapper from Stoneham carded a two-under 67 in the morning and followed with a 70 to win by one stroke from another Southerner, Ben Harvey (Ferndown), on 67, 71. For good measure, another Hampshire stalwart, Martin Young (Brokenhurst Manor), was a further shot back, adding a 72 to his earlier 67 to finish third. It was 27-year-old Henley's first major victory and as much a testimony to his excellent technique as to his astute management of a course that always rewards accuracy and positioning. "I used my driver only five times all day. I thought if I could hit it well off the tee, I could score well and that's what happened," said the new champion, whose victory secured him bragging rights over younger brother, Darren, now a pro, who was twice runner-up in the Salver. A member of the county side for five years and of Stoneham for 11, Henley's policy of eliminating errors paid handsome dividends. "I didn't three-putt or double-bogey all day, but kept it in play and did nothing silly. It was quite cold and there were some interesting pin placements." His morning 67 wasn't the lowest: that honour fell to John Poulton (Leatherhead) with a 66, while Farnham's Colin Roope was also up there with a 68. But Henley never looked troubled, with halves of 34 and 33, garnished with a magnificent eagle at the long eighth, where he hit a four-iron approach to 12 feet, and birdies at the first, 13th and 14th. He produced another master stroke after the interval, hitting a three-wood into prime position at the tough fourth and then a towering six-iron to within a foot for his birdie three. He gave it back at the seventh, but hit back with birdies at the eighth and ninth to turn in 33. The pressure began to tell on the back nine, with bogeys at the 11th, 15th and 16th. But he made a solid three at the short 17th and though he blocked his drive at the last, he found a good lie and was able to coax his ball to the fringe. Even so, he had to hole a ticklish four-footer for his par and the title. A true amateur – he is an electronics engineer – Henley is the tournament's third home- grown winner and the first since James Knight (Sandford Springs) in 1996. "It's not easy to take the time off, so I'm really restricted to weekend events. I worked very hard on my game over the winter, so it's good to get the reward," said the new champion. Dorset county player Harvey picked up four birdies before lunch, including a rare three at the 18th. Only a double-bogey six at the 11th kept the +1 man from a handy lunchtime lead. The doubles returned to haunt him after the break, with sixes at the seventh and 10th, where he was out of bounds. But birdies at the fourth and 15th, two of Blackmoor's toughest holes, saw him home in 71, for 138 and second place. Young's morning 67, with four birdies, was the ideal base, yet he was unable to capitalise, with three birdies in his third nine before steadying the ship with a birdie at the third, his 12th hole, to get back level with the card. But wayward iron shots at the fourth, fifth and sixth holes and a big hook off the seventh cost him four bogeys and his challenge was over, even though he managed to birdie the long eighth. "I just ran out of steam," he said ruefully. "I was up at 5.30 and really felt it towards the end. I put too many tired swings on the ball and you can't do that at this level." Fourth was Matt Cryer, the +3 man from Coventry, who shot 71, 69 for 140, the same score as James Freeman (Retford), with 69, 71. Sixth was Chris Evans (Maxstoke Park), on 68, 72. All on 141 were Alex MacGregor (Killiow), James Ruebotham (Welwyn) and, to the delight of the home gallery, Blackmoor's own Mark Burgess, who shrugged off the shock of a triple-bogey seven at the fourth in the morning to card 70, 71. Poulton was 15 shots worse in the afternoon, while Roope took 11 more, as Blackmoor bit back. Spalding's James Crampton, off +4, could do no better than 72, 76 and Andrew Clarke (Horsley Lodge), three under at one stage, blew to 75, 80. Full England international, Lawrence Dodd (Thetford) carded 70, 72 for a 142 tally, the same as Brokenhurst Manor's Jon Young, whose 69 equalled the afternoon's best. Stoneham's Sam Boyes opened with a 76, but redeemed himself with an afternoon 72, while Lee-on-the-Solent's Sam Hutsby, who opened with a seven, recovered to a 72, but then faded to a 77. Andy Bow (Stoneham), sixth in 2004, carded a brace of 73s. Current county champion, Mark Thistleton (Hayling), hit the ball well, but holed virtually nothing all day. His 72, 71 scoreline was matched by Blackmoor's Steve Mitchell. There were two holes-in-one, both at the ninth. Andy Matthews (Blackmoor) got the first, followed an hour later by James Johnstone (Canon Brook), who had just made seven at the long eighth.