Bedfordshire school golfers are regional champions

Bedfordshire Schools hosted the South East Schools Championships at Leighton Buzzard Golf Club – and are celebrating after two of their juniors were crowned the champions.

Thirteen-year-old Roisin Scanlon became one of the youngest ever winners of the girls’ championship.

The Bedford Girls student, who plays her golf at Bedfordshire GC is only the second Bedfordshire Schools Girls Champion since the event started back in 1979, when Sarah Kiddle was the first winner.

Arnie Arkanath, 18, a student at Sir Henry Floyd School Milton Keynes, who plays his golf at Woburn Sands & Aspley Guise GC won the boys’ title.

They set the early pace in the event, restructured due to Covid conditions, with rounds of 68 for Arkanath and 72 for Scanlon.

Both scores could not be matched as the rain continued throughout the day at the Plantation Road course.

Arkanath finished just one shot ahead of George Wright (Hertfordshire) 69, whilst Scanlon remained three shots clear of her nearest rival Olivia Lee (Buckinghamshire) with 75.

Both players also play their golf at Woburn GC&C as do the Bedford School players in the Boys team that narrowly missed the Team Champions title on countback.

Both players now go forward to represent the South East Region in the National Championships at Belton Park GC in Lincolnshire at the end of June, in their quest for an international selection.

Scanlon has also qualified as County Schools Champion to play in the National Under 16 Schools Championship, due to be played at Walsall GC in late July.

In the Team Championship, Bedfordshire Schools Boys team: Finlay Cummings 72 (Bedford School), Aidan Abbott 74, Lawrence Jefferys 74 (Bedford School) and Alex Robins 80 (Bedford School) missed the title by the narrowest of margins, tying on 220 with Essex Schools and losing out by the discard score which was just 80 to 77.

Both Cummings and Abbott in normal times would have gained places in the Regional team to go forward, but Covid again restricted the team numbers this year, with Cummings getting a first reserve placement.