Tyler Weaver delivers sparkling display to win Lagonda Trophy

Tyler Weaver earned glowing plaudits for a superb final inward nine to clinch the biggest win of a fledgling career in the Lagonda Trophy.

It was hard going on the Old Course at Gog Magog Golf Club for all concerned with the strong winds making for testing conditions and causing some high scoring in the prestigious amateur competition.

It is why the feats of 17-year-old Weaver particularly stood out.

He played the last nine in three-under-par, which featured an eagle three on the 14th, a birdie on the 16th and birdie to finish on the 18th.

To put that into context for the competition, the average number of shots on the par five 14th for the four-round competition was 4.69, and for the par 16th it was 4.94, with just three birdies on the hole all tournament.

“I bogeyed the par three and birdied the two par four - I was really happy with that because I finished really badly the first three rounds, so it was good to turn that round when it mattered,” said Weaver, the Links Golf Club, Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds, which is his home club.

“I actually didn’t look at the leaderboard, I just thought I need to finish strong and the best I can, then look at the scores after.

“After I hit on the green, I asked my brother whether I needed the putt to win and he said 'no you’re fine’, so it took the pressure off a little bit.”

Coming down last with a four-shot lead in the Lagonda Trophy is no mean feat.

On a leaderboard that was dominated by blue, with just 15 rounds in under par red and a further seven in level green, Weaver contributed two of the 15 scores.

They came in rounds three and four through one-under-par 69s, which added to two one-over-par 71s on the first day, giving him an even par 280 for the four-shot victory.

“When the wind is like this, you’ve just got to minimise your bad shots, I think I did that well,” said Weaver.

“I didn’t lose a ball in the four rounds which is good and didn’t miss loads of greens so gave myself lots of chances.”

Weaver has joined an illustrious list of winners of the Lagonda Trophy which includes former world No 1s Lee Westwood and Luke Donald and Ryder Cup players David Gilford and Andy Sullivan.

“It feels brilliant,” he said. “I knew that my game was good going into this week and I just thought I could go out there and perform and I’m really happy.

“It’s probably the biggest competition I have won, up to now so I’m really buzzing.

“When I was having lunch I was looking at the board seeing Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Ollie Fisher on there, so I’m happy to add my name to that.”

Next stop for Weaver is the German Boys’ Championship, and he added: “It’s a good way to go into that with a lot of confidence.”

Chelmsford Golf Club’s Carter Rowe finished second with four-over-par 284, and Bishop’s Stortford’s Max Hopkins was a further shot behind in third.

The host club’s George Howard hit the round of the tournament with a three-under-par on the afternoon of the first day, but he had to settle for tied fourth with Chelmsford’s Ben Humphrey with six-over-par 286.

Gog Magog’s Ed Dimambro had a memorable moment in the third round, making a hole-in-one on the par three fourth. He finished tied ninth overall, on nine-over-par 289.

Leaderboard: 280 Tyler Weaver (Bury St Edmunds) (71, 71, 69, 69); 284 Carter Rowe (Chelmsford) *72, 69, 75, 68); 285 Max Hopkins (Bishop’s Stortford) (72, 69, 69, 75); 286= Ben Humphrey (Chelmsford) (71, 71, 73, 71), George Howard (Gog Magog) (73, 67, 71, 75); 287 Reis Suart (Welwyn Garden City) (75, 68, 70, 74); 288= Lewis Harrison (Birley Wood) (75, 75, 69, 69), James Nash (Ormskirk) (73, 71, 70, 74).