Army Golf Club’s Henry Lloyd (right) shakes the hand of Lee-on-the-Solent’s Dave Edmunds after claiming the winning point at the 20th hole in the final of the County Sevens, at Petersfield Golf Club. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

ARMY Golf Club equalled the record number of County Sevens wins by beating Lee-on-the-Solent at a rain-hit Petersfield Golf Club.

The Aldershot club were the first-ever winners back in 1966 – the year England won the World Cup and became the first club to hold the Hampshire Interclub Knockout – and it’s ladies equivalent – at the same time two years ago.

And it was Henry Lloyd, who held his nerve to get the better of Lee veteran Dave Edmunds to win at the 20^th hole after the fourth match ended all-square and went into sudden-death.

The oldest player in the Lee team had been four up after five but Lloyd, who was getting four shots won the sixth, ninth, 12^th and 13^th.

Army Golf Club’s Henry Lloyd tees off at the 14th hole in the final of the County Sevens, at Petersfield Golf Club Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

Having lost the 16^th Lloyd then made a great up and down from a greenside trap to square the match for a second time before the last was halved in fives as the nerves built up.

Edmunds, who has been a member of the Hampshire Seniors team this year, produced a miracle recovery shot from an impossible lie in the greenside bunker on the first extra hole, after Lloyd had to play the par five as a three-shotter because he had left his driver out of the bag.

His third saw him blade his approach through the back of the green, but they both got up and down for their pars.

But when Edmunds found tree trouble on the right off the second tee, he was forced to chop out and – with Lloyd again taking three to get to the green – a difficult fourth from a wet downhill lie, left the Lee man short of the green a long putt.

Lloyd had chipped over the bunker to 20 feet, and even though he need three putts to make his six, as the nerves were left jangling, Edmunds could not hole his putt for a bogey six and the title was heading back up the A325 for the second time in three years.

Captain James West led the Army team again with five of the team, who lifted the trophy at Bramshaw in 2017, when they beat Ryde, in his line-up.

Having ended Shanklin & Sandown’s hopes of gaining revenge for losing against Lee-on-the-Solent when they won in the final in 2006, the Gosport-based club stood between Rowlands Castle’s record of six wins to Army’s five.

Four-handicapper Talor Reay lost 3&2 to Lee’s Hampshire U16s squad member Will Green, off three, having never been in front after losing the first two holes as Lee put the first point on the board.

Tom Ballard, another winner in 2017, beat Lee captain Kev Smith 2&1 in a battle of the five-handicappers, having been three-up with six to play.

Four-handicapper Chris Taylor fought back from one down in the top match with three to play, to draw level at the 16^th.

He then won the last with a four to go one-up against Lee’s Kev Burnop, playing off three.

That made it 2-1 to the Army but Lee’s University of Northwestern Ohio graduate Lewis Scott, the only player off plus in the finals, saw off four-handicapper Alex Carey comfortably by 4&3 – despite giving away six shots – to make it 2-2.

Captain West then won the fifth match 3&2 against one-handicapper Rory Ainsworth, to edge Army back in front, before Lee’s three-handicapper Nick Mitchell, who had been dormie three, beat four-handicapper Paul Kelly 2&1 in the penultimate match.

All the players converged on Edmunds and Lloyd as they headed down the last and back out to the first before the final was eventually settled at the 20^th.

A delighted West said: “To win the Sevens again is a fantastic achievement, especially twice in three years and to match Rowlands record after they won it last year.

“Having beaten them 5-2 to reach the semi-finals it was the cherry on the cake to bring the trophy back to Army Golf Club. With five of the players that won the Sevens in the team again, I think our experience of the finals was a big help.”

Royal Guernsey, who lost 5-2 to Army GC in their morning semi, went on to beat Shanklin & Sandown 41/2-21/2 in the third and fourth place play-off.

The “Road to Petersfield” began with a narrow win away at Alresford, when Carey grabbed the vital point in the anchor match.

That was followed by home wins over Meon Valley, 2016 winners Oak Park, and Boundary Lakes before their quarter-final clash with holders Rowlands Castle.