THE 25th Liphook Scratch Cup took place at Liphook Golf Club on Saturday and produced the youngest winner ever.

Fourteen-year-old Lily Humphreys, from Channels Golf Club in Essex, who plays off +3 and is the reigning England Under-16 Champion, came in with a 36-hole total of 141 to win the event by five shots from Bude & North Cornwall’s Georgia Price (+2) on 146.

In third place was Sharna Dutrieux (scratch), from Wrotham Heath in Kent, with 149. Georgia and Sharna had competed all week in the British Strokeplay Championship in Belfast and flew in just in time to tee off early at Liphook.

Lily Humphreys has had an outstanding summer. As well as winning the Under-16s by six shots at The Nottinghamshire, she won the Fairhaven Trophies, competed in the European Young Masters in Switzerland, coming third; was 13th in the European Girls Team Championships in Norway, and was a creditable eighth at the British Open at Harlech. Now it is back to school and into winter training for the young Essex player.

The Liphook Scratch Cup goes from strength to strength, attracting ever younger and more talented golfers every year. Liphook is the final event in a long golfing season for the players and they all enjoy the challenge of the inland links golf course (par 72) with its immaculate greens, picturesque heather in full bloom and, at this time of year, invariably uncertain weather. Saturday was no exception and conditions were sunny and windless until the afternoon when the predicted rain arrived for the last three hours.