MATT Hector played a pivotal role as Ferndown's teenage trio came so close to grabbing the national English Golf Union Junior Champion Club tournament over the Bracken Course at Woodhall Spa.

The 17-year-old four handicapper from Canford Heath had a nightmare on the first day and only totalled 23 Stableford points.

The club's junior organiser Richard White said: "Only two out of three scores counted each day. Matt saw how well the others were doing so used the last few holes for practice and didn't bother about his own score."

The second day he brought Ferndown right back into contention with the shot of the tournament. He holed an eight-iron for an eagle three at the sixth to collect four points.

He was playing really well until he suffered a mortal blow on the 18th. He lost a ball when his drive disappeared into the rough and he was forced to play three off the tee.

He was unable to add to his 36 points and Ferndown finished level with Hadden Hill, the representatives from Berks and Oxon, on 140 points.

Dorset boys' champion, one-handicapper Jay Coshan, aged 15 from Kinson, carded 35 and 31. Jake Hooper, aged 18 from Tuckton who plays off four and stands 6ft 7in tall, returned 32 and 37.

The national junior event attracted the champions from 33 counties to the EGU's headquarters in Lincolnshire. The format was changed from medal to Stableford this year with the best two cards on handicap to count each day.

The rules demand a winner so the teams were separated by the third "non-counting" score in each round. Ferndown were five points behind.

White, a regular Bournemouth Alliance member who previously played at Meyrick Park, said: "I was even more gutted than the lads at losing out when we came so close to a magnificent national victory.

"But they acquitted themselves well both on and off the course and were a credit to the club."