THOMAS MACLEAN CLAIMS HAT TRICK OF WALES GOLF AGE GRADE TITLES

Thomas Maclean of Pennard Golf Club completed a unique hat trick of Welsh age grade titles, while retaining the Under 16’s trophy in Carmarthen.

He had won the Under 14’s championship before moving up in age group, his trio of titles only rivalled in Wales Golf history by JM Morrow winning the Welsh Boys three times in a row in the 1970s.

A final round of 69 took him past this year’s Welsh Boys champion James Palfrey, Greenmeadow, who finished one shot back, while Royal Lytham and St Annes Ffion Richardson finished as the top girl in 12th place overall.

Another storming final round took Hindhead’s Ethan Kwan to the Welsh Under 14’s Championship, also in Carmarthen, with a 71 seeing him pip Radyr’s Flynn Lambly. Lily Morgan (Padeswood and Buckley) was the top girl, also in 12th place overall in the mixed events.

Maclean was delighted to have claimed his third Wales Golf age grade title in a row. “It is an honour and a privilege to retain the title, it has been a great week,” he said afterwards.

The low round of the week was a 67 for Southerndown’s Gethin Lewis, with Maclean one of four players to shoot a 69 on his way to being one under par after the three rounds.

In the Under 14’s category, Surrey-based Ethan Kwan was rewarded for having chosen to follow his Welsh roots over England, thanks to a grandmother from Cardiff

final round of 71 was by some margin the best round of the championship, the only player to shoot under par.

“It feels great to have won, I cannot really believe it,” said Kwan. “At the start I felt I was in with a chance and then I fought as hard as I could.”

Wales Golf Competitions Co-Ordinator Stuart Manley added, “Congratulations to Thomas and Ethan, they both played exceptionally in their final rounds and fully deserved the titles.”

“For Thomas to defend his title after also winning the Under 14’s is a tremendous achievement for him.”

Photo: 1. Thomas Maclean.