Welwyn Garden City golfer Tom Lewis adds British Boys' title to his English crown

WELWYN Garden City golfer Tom Lewis claimed his second national title of the year yesterday (Saturday). The teenager made it a double triumph when he added the British Boys Championship to his English title by beating international team-mate Eddie Pepper

WELWYN Garden City golfer Tom Lewis claimed his second national title of the year yesterday (Saturday).

The teenager made it a double triumph when he added the British Boys' Championship to his English title by beating international team-mate Eddie Pepperell 5&4 in the 36-hole final at Royal St George's in Kent.

The English Boys' Stroke Play title holder now adds his name to an illustrious list of champions which includes Sir Michael Bonallack, two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal, Ryder Cup star Sergio Garcia and David Howell; a fact that the 18-year-old England international struggled to take in.

"It hasn't sunk in yet. It's hard to explain," said the young man from Welwyn Garden City Golf Club, the same club where Nick Faldo started his career.

"You don't expect to be in the same boat as those players.

"To continue being alongside those names is a tough goal, but if I keep doing what I'm doing, which seems to be working, then hopefully I can continue being up there with them."

Lewis, one of the area's talented sports stars backed by the Elite Athlete Support Programme at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield, will soon head to Ganton for the Jacques Leglise Trophy match where he will compete for Great Britain and Ireland against the Continent of Europe.

* See Wednesday's Welwyn & Hatfield Times for report on how Tom Lewis won the title at Royal St George's.