Hampshire missed out on a return to the County Finals

Not even a top-five finish from Stoneham debutant Jack Warren could transform Hampshire’s hopes going into the deciding afternoon session with Burden’s boys perfectly poised with 18 holes to play, lying second on leaders’ Essex’s coat-tails, four shots back.

At one point in the morning, Warren was four-under par, hot on the leader’s heels, but a sudden switch in the strength of the wind with five holes to play cost him back-to-back birdies, and despite having two more birdie chances on the last two holes, he had to settle for a 70.

Stoneham’s Jack Warren tees off at the fifth hole during the second round at South East Qualifier at Orsett GC. (Image: Andrew Griffin/AMG Pictures)

Playing in the anchor role, he fought hard as the conditions became even more brutal, the 2017 Hampshire Junior Champion, who works as a greenkeeper at Hockley, and has enjoyed a resurgence in his game over the last year, battled to card an even-par 72.

The two-time English County Champions, who have qualified for the finals 14 times since the South East Qualifier was introduced 72 years ago – and with eight of those wins coming since 2002 – ended the day five shots behind hosts Essex, who won the title for the second time in three years.

Ten shots swings have been common in the SEQ over the years, but the south coast side went backwards to the tune of 10 more strokes than they took in the first round.

Burden, who led the team from the front with a superb 69 in the morning, struggled to card a 79 in the searing heat, buffeted by a blistering breeze – while former mini-tour pro Sam De’ath, who was selected ahead of Hampshire Order of Merit leader Rob Wheeler, from North Hants, could only shoot 80, with Wheeler, the official reserve, on his bag.

Hampshire captain Toby Burden backed his team’s spirit and fight in tough conditions as they tried to win for the first time in nine years. (Image: Andrew Griffin/AMG Pictures)

Essex were six-over in round two – having been seven-under before lunch – beating Surrey by two shots. Hertfordshire were third on two-over and Hampshire back in fourth on four-over.

Former Lee-on-the-Solent GC member George Saunders, from Botley, was six-under at one point in his second round but finished with a bogey, triple and another bogey to card his team’s best score of the afternoon, when conditions were at their toughest.

His run, having started on the 16th hole, saw him birdie the 18th and the first, before picking up four shots in three holes from the fifth thanks to an eagle at the seventh.

The former West of England Amateur Champion was on course for the best round of the day when he birdied the 11th, only to stumble over his last three holes.

The ex-England U16 cap still went seven better than his opening effort of 78 – Hertfordshire’s Max Hopkins took the Peter Benka Trophy for his seven-under total, having slept in his car overnight because his hotel room was too hot!

Hampshire were trying to win both the Boys’ and Men’s South East Qualifier in the same season for just the fourth time since the junior event was created in 1986, having won the U18 competition for the first time in 11 years the week before.

Captain Burden, from Hayling GC, said: “We tried everything we could to win for Hampshire and all the members that support us.

“We’ll go again next year with a great mindset knowing we were in the hunt once again."