Liphook’s George Saunders suffered more six-man heartache as Hampshire’s run of missing out on a place at the English County Finals extended to eight years as they wilted in the heat at Bedfordshire’s Millbrook GC.
Hampshire found themselves 11 shots behind Berks, Bucks and Oxfordshire (B.B.&O.) at lunch having made the shortest journey to the event beside the hosts, who have never won the South East Qualifier since it was introduced back in 1955.
The 70th edition did not go the way Hampshire captain Toby Burden and coach Kev Flynn had planned. Saunders, who made his debut in the event the last time Hampshire won it in 2017, in Norfolk, was one of the county’s better performers before lunch.
He carded a two-over par 74, only bettered by Stoneham’s county champion Joe Buenfeld, who shot a 71, and last year’s Hampshire Order of Merit winner Rob Wheeler, who added a 72.
Sandford Springs’ James Knight struggled with an 80, four more than Burden’s opening effort.
Hartley Wintney’s Charlie Preston was in form having made it through to Final Open Qualifying earlier this month, along with Wheeler.
But the 18-year-old, who started his first term in the States with a win for Indian Hills in the spring, which put him in the top ten in the NJCAA rankings, struggled on his way to a 77.
Those scores put Hampshire behind the eight-ball. Saunders’ struggles saw him card three bogeys on the front nine having started with three successive fives, including the back-to-back par fives at the first and second.
But his back nine was far more solid, yielding one birdie at the 12th, to make lunch taste a bit sweeter. Captain Burden, who was playing in his fifth six-man, returned a 76, county coach Flynn believing Hampshire had needed to be more aggressive in the opening round.
Whatever was said over lunch in the busy tea room, with the later starters having less than 30 minutes for the turn around, could not fire Hampshire closer to the leaders as the temperature climbed higher.
Saunders, who was appearing in his seventh championship in the past eight years, having only missed out in 2023, has a best individual finish of eighth in the 66-strong field.
He followed up last year’s share of 12th place with 17th at The Millbrook as he shot a steady 72 after lunch.
The former West of England amateur champion bounced back from a bogey at the 11th with back-to-back birdies at the next two holes. And even when he gave one of those shots back at the 14th, he bounced back again with a birdie at the par-five 15th.
Having turned in one-under, April’s Hampshire Salver winner picked up another four at the second – only to make a double at the par-three fourth.
Any hope of firing a low total with a strong finish to give Hampshire any hope of closing the gap on the top two evaporated with that five on Saunders’ card.
A birdie four at the eighth took Saunders back into the red. But a bogey at the last left the former US college player, who had spells at Texas Midland, Tennessee University and Richmond’s VCU over six years in the States, kicking his heels as Hampshire finished seventh, well below their expectations.
By Andrew Griffin
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