HAMPSHIRE and their opponents Berks, Bucks & Oxon go into Sunday's South East Counties League Championship final without their big guns.

Martin Le Mesurier (Hampshire) and Luke Donald (BB&O) stay behind at college in the United States as the two counties battle it out for the big prize at Neville GC on the East Sussex/Kent border.

Le Mesurier proved he's the pick of the county crop with a dazzling double win in the Stoneham and Mike Smith Memorial Trophies in late summer.

He can't get away from Minnesota University because he's required for an important match by his college coach. It's a similar situation for Donald, who was No 1 on the collegiate circuit last year and has started the new season with two successive victories in the States.

His loss could be even more devastating for BB&O because Hampshire have a ready-made replacement for Le Mesurier in David Porter, the leading light in national under-18 golf this summer.

The Stoneham teenager hasn't been able to play for Hampshire simply because he's been too busy scooping one national and international award after another.

Apart from winning the McEvoy and Carris Trophies, Porter has helped England Boys win the World and European Team Championships and is just back from the United States where he helped a select European team to victory over the USA in a Ryder Cup style match for under-18s.

Hampshire captain Ian Gray said: "It's a blow losing Martin, but David's availability more than makes up for it. A lot of his golf this year has been in matchplay, so he should be a great asset."

Gray is forced to make a further change as former champion Chris Hudson drops out and Basingstoke's Craig Humphrey, runner-up to Darren Henley in this year's Hampshire Championship final, comes in.

Hudson is looking to turn professional but last month failed to negotiate the first stage of the European PGA Tour's qualifying school.

He and Le Mesurier were members of the Hampshire team who produced one of their best-ever performances to reach Sunday's final when they beat a star-studded Surrey side in the last of their group qualifying matches.

The county have reaped the fruits of a well-balanced side which includes the experience of Kevin Weeks and Alan Mew and the youthful promise of Henley, who like Stoneham clubmate Porter has had a terrific year.

Apart from winning the county title, 19-year-old Henley took the Berkshire Trophy and last week capped his first England call-up by taking third place in the Greek Championship.

Brokenhurst Manor's Martin Young is another who has made great strides forward this summer along with Channel Islander Richard Ramskill who is on a private golfing scholarship in the States but has managed to earn some leave to play at Neville.

Corhampton's Tim Markwick, who won the Courage Trophy last month, completes a formidable line up for Hampshire who last won the South East Counties League Championship in 1994 under John Nettell's captaincy.

Another success would represent a tremendous turnaround for Gray in his last year as captain. In 1998 Hampshire finished bottom of their league group.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.