SAM HUTSBY became the youngest winner of the Courage Trophy at rainswept Lee-on-the-Solent.
The England under-18 international is the Lee champion and used home advantage to telling effect against a quality field which included last week's Selbourne Salver winner Ryan Henley from Stoneham.
Henley and Hutsby were level pegging after shooting one under-par 68s in the first round.
But the pacesetter was Hampshire champion Mark Thistleton (Hayling) who opened up with a blistering 67.
It was a score matched by 16-year-old Hutsby, pictured, in the second round, despite tough pin placings and an aftetoon deluge. The youngster notched up five birdies to pull out a two-shot gap on Henley (68 69) with Thistleton (67 71) third and Hampshire captain and four-times Courage winner Kevin Weeks fourth with a pair of 70s.
Bay House schoolboy Hutsby, who is coached by County Club pro Martin Butcher, is looking sharp after winter training in Spain with the England youth squad and will be a key member of the county side to meet the Hampshire PGA in the annual Pinflag match at Blackmoor on Sunday. The Hampshire Union are going for a hat-trick of wins.
Union line-up: K Weeks, J Young, J Watt (Brokenhurst Manor), S Hutsby (Lee-on-the-Solent), R Henley, S Boyes, A Bow (Stoneham), S Archibald (Dummer), S Mitchell (Blackmoor), C Kilgannon (Royal Winchester).
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