WELLOW Juniors have shone at the inaugural Presidents Cup event.

Held on Saturday, September 7, the Juniors [Team USA] claimed victory in the Presidents Cup held at Wellow Golf Club, fending off a determined effort from the International Team, which included parents and players from the Men’s, Ladies, and Senior sections.

They triumphed in the tournament with a score of 41½ to 31½, etching their names in history.

The President’s Cup is a biennial event featuring a competition between American professional golfers and an international team, consisting of professional golfers outside of the U.S. and Europe. This year marked the inaugural replication of the event by the Wellow Junior Section, inspired by the success of last year's Junior Ryder Cup.

The day kicked off with foursomes, an alternate shot format, featuring 48 players across two teams enjoying the morning sun and lively music on the first tee, creating an atmosphere reminiscent to that of a LIV Golf event.

The morning foursomes took place on the Ryedown Course, enjoying mostly dry and calm weather. The Juniors, joined by special guests Junior Competition Secretaries Neil Brading and David Porter, started strong, securing a significant 17-8 lead heading into the afternoon.

Following lunch, where players could choose between American and International cuisines, they returned to the tee to compete in the day's final two formats over 18 holes. The first nine holes were played in a fourball better ball format on the club's Embley course, after which the players transitioned to singles Matchplay on the back nine of the Blackwater course.

The International team opened with a strong performance, winning four out of the first six matches. As the weather changed and heavy rain set in, it seemed a comeback was possible.

Nevertheless, the Junior team remained resilient, managing to secure several halved matches before clinching victories in the final four groups to finish 24½ to 23½ in the afternoon and become triumphant.

On the day, extra prizes were awarded for the nearest the pin challenge on the club's iconic Embley No.8 hole, with Sofia Ramon-Lewis taking home the Junior prize and Senior Vice Captain Peter Taylor claiming the adult prize.

To cap off the day, a fun golf darts chipping event was held, where teams of four competed for the top score. The champions, boasting an impressive total of 168, were Dan Bunday, Harry Bunday, Graham Hiscock, and Joe Hiscock.

Neil Brading, the Junior Competition Secretary, and event organiser, stated: “These events are a common feature at the club, made possible by the backing of club management, the Men's, Ladies', and Senior sections, as well as the families of our Junior members. Today at the club, we showcased the wonderful camaraderie between different sections which featured 9-year-old Freddie Williams competing against the impressive 90-year-old Ken Biffen, which is truly fantastic. The Junior section is thriving, and with a recent sponsorship agreement with Mark2 e-bikes, we are excited about a new kit coming from NXT Clothing, which will help us raise funds for the wonderful local charity Alfie’s Wish through item sales”.