Duel in the Spanish sun finds Masters Champs


Dateline: 25 November 2004

Eleven-year old Rhys Pugh from South Wales and 15 year old Alice Ruane (pictured right) from Derbyshire emerged as the Times & Sunday Times EA SPORTS YMG Masters 2004 champions at the spectacular Grand Final in Spain - but only after a tense, nail-biting play-off.

La Manga Resort in Spain
Twelve girls and 12 boys between the ages of six and 16 won their way through to a four-day event at La Manga Club Resort on Spain's sunny Mar Menor and in return produced some breath-taking golf to match the impressive surroundings of the recently refurbished South Course. While Alice topped the girls category with a solid one hole advantage in the flag golf competition, it took a two hole playoff to separate top boys Rhys Pugh and Billy-Joe Bugden (8) from Wiltshire.

Tense play-off
When both boys finished on the 19th hole, they went head-to-head in the rapidly fading light of the Spanish autumn evening, parring the first extra hole. A slight pull on the next tee for Biily-Joe however, meant that his back swing for second shot was hampered and he could only advance his ball towards the green. Rhys however hit yet another arrow straight drive before putting his second shot to just four feet from the flag to retain the title he first won in 2003. They were chased home in third place by 7 year old Maxwell Martin, who finished in the hole at the 18th green.

Aliced is champion
In the girls category, as Alice was taking top spot, there was a tremendous five-way tussle for the runners-up position, with Hannah Turland (10 years old), and Emma Naughton (14) sharing to the position as they both finished in the hole, while just a few away were Sophie Godley (10), Kyra Horlock (9) and Amy Furze (17).

The tournament began back in August with 1100 competitors at 12 regional qualifying tournaments around the UK and Ireland, followed by a National Final at the Celtic Manor Resort in October, where the top 24 youngsters qualified for La Manga Grand Final.

Details of the 2005 YMG Junior Masters tournament are available on the YMG Junior Golf website at at www.ymg-golf.com.

RESULT:

The Times / Sunday Times EA SPORTS YMG Masters 2004:
Girls:
1 Alice Ruane (Chesterfield)
2= Hannah Turland (Mark Ingram Golf School)
& Emma Naughton (Leyland)
4 Sophie Godley (Barlborough Links)
5 Kyra Horlock (Ferndown Forest)
6 Amy Furze (Chesterfield)
7 Fay Carpenter (Dorset Golf & CC)
8 Lucy Goddard (Nazeing)
9 Nicola Rawlinson (Leyland)
10 Olivia Winning (Barlborough Links)
11 Jamie-Leigh Casling (The Kendleshire)
12 Imogen Huxley (Rutland County)

Boys:
1 Rhys Pugh (The Ridgeway Golf Club)
2 Billy-Joe Bugden (Hamptworth GC)
Rhys Pugh took first place at the 2nd extra hole of the play-off
3 Maxwell Martin (Copt Heath)
4 Daffyd Williams (The Ridgeway)
5 Neil McKinstry (Cairndhu GC)
6 Greg Roostan (Drayton Park)
7 Callum Woodgate (Waterlooville)
8 Gareth Owen (Cairndhu GC)
9 Lee Wilson (Rivenhall Oaks)
10 Darren McClelland (Cairndhu GC)
11 Ross Mohan (Deer Park, Dublin)
12 Jay Gauld (The Hampshire).


(ends)