THERE is one thing on Justin Rose’s glorious CV covering his days as an amateur and tour pro that might still rankle nearly 30 years on… the 16-year-old was in the team that lost to Essex in the 1996 South East League Final (SELF) three weeks after Hampshire had been crowned English County Champions for the first time in 71 years.
Fast forward to this weekend’s 61st South East League Final and it is Hampshire who have the chance to turn the tables on Essex, who were crowned English County Champions for just the second time in their history, on Sunday.
Back in July, Essex pipped Hampshire in the South East Qualifier (SEQ) to book their place in the English County Finals (ECFs) at Whittington Heath, after Hampshire stumbled over the final holes.
They dropped some crucial shots to end up two behind the team that won the event for just the third time since the regional qualifiers were introduced back in 1955 – Hampshire have reached the ECFs 14 times in 69 years by comparison.
Hampshire captain Toby Burden missed the SEQ because of a long-standing family commitment made before he agreed to take over the role.
Toby took over from Stoneham’s Lawrence Cherry, who had to quit back in May, having been offered a dream job managing The Montgomerie Golf Club in Dubai.
Andy Bow with the Daily Telegraph Salver after Hampshire tied with Hertfordshire, in the 2009 South East League Final, at Hankley Common. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES
Burden has played in three South East League Finals since playing in the tie against Hertfordshire at Hankley Common, in 2009.
He was Cherry’s vice-captain when Hampshire won the Daily Telegraph Salver for the first time in 11 years, by beating Berks, Bucks and Oxfordshire, at Kent’s Wildernesse GC, last October.
Ironically, Hampshire had won the title there in 1994 – the first season that Liphook’s Keith Maplesden was the county golf union secretary.
His sudden passing last June, gave Hampshire’s players – many of whom had grown up under Keith’s management – every reason to win the South Division and then beat BB&O in the final.
Burden is relishing the chance to help gain revenge for Rose and Co. when the two teams meet at Northwood GC, in Middlesex – even though he will be without four of his regular eight-man team.
Hampshire successfully defended their South Division title by beating Kent away 7-5, and drawing against Surrey at Hindhead, in August, having beaten Sussex 10-2 at Brokenhurst Manor.
With Hampshire’s two highly-rated US college stars back in the States, Burden has recalled Rowlands Castle’s Tom Robson, a veteran of three English County Finals, who won the county championship in 2009.
Robson has appeared in three more county championship finals since, and spent four years at Jacksonville State University – the same Alabama college where Masters champion Danny Willett played for two years before becoming the World No. 1 amateur in 2009.
Veterans Martin Young, from Brokenhurst Manor, and Stoneham’s Ryan Henley, who have played together for Hampshire over the last 25 years, have seven county championships between them.
Jersey’s Jo Hacker – who beat Burden in the 2021 final with a birdie at the last at Fleet’s North Hants GC – is the seventh winner of the Sloane-Stanley Challenge Cup in the nine-man squad, while North Hants’ Order of Merit winner Robert Wheeler claimed the Hampshire Open, at Hockley last month, having been runner-up in the Courage Trophy just three days earlier.
Liphook GC’s George Saunders, who won the West of England Amateur Championship as a teenager, and 2022 county champion James Freeman, from Stoneham, make up the squad.
The team enjoyed a team night with coach Kevin Flynn at his golf studio at Hayling’s Tournebury GC, on Monday night, including some games on the simulator.
Toby said: “It was the toughest choice I’ve ever had to make to pick this eight, even without our US college players – Charlie Forster, who is now an England and GB&I international, and Joe Buenfeld, who played in all three games and the SEQ.
“I had many sleepless nights. I feel comfortable with the eight now. But it shows how strong we are. It’s a ‘good headache’ to have.
“Essex are clearly a very good team – I was on the losing team in the 2018 league final at Frilford Heath and they also beat us with home advantage in 2014.
“Their tails will be up after being crowned English champions last weekend, but we ran them very close in the qualifier at Brighton’s Devil’s Dyke.
“We are 100 per cent determined and motivated to defend the Telegraph Salver, especially as they only pipped us by two shots in the six-man.
“We had a fun night training session on Monday, but we’ve also done some serious prep. We have looked at online videos of the Northwood course so we understand the challenge there.
“Some of the boys played an extra practice round up there at the weekend as well,” the 37-year-old added.
“To be a member of Hayling while leading Hampshire out as captain in an England Golf regional final, is one of the biggest honours I could imagine.
“We have won the division two years in a row, which was outstanding.. However, to hopefully win and bring the Salver home to Hayling would be the icing on the cake.
“It’s not about me though – it’s about the team and whole squad. We will do everything possible to make each of our respected clubs extremely proud,” said the recruitment consultant.
“We have such a good culture which is something my predecessor Lawrence Cherry and I felt was important. It’s a total team effort throughout and everyone is fully respectful of each other’s games, and as people.
“We trust and respect each other, which to me is so important. It allows us to be comfortable with each other and our thoughts. We know each other’s games so well, which is a great strength in the four foursomes matches particularly.
Toby added: “We want another gold medal and that Salver back in Hampshire for another year. I am sure Justin will want us to, too. He’s a big supporter.“
Essex bidding for hat-trick against Hampshire
Essex’s Todd Clements playing in the 2014 South East League Final against Hampshire – three years before he was crowned English Amateur Champion. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES
HAMPSHIRE have played Essex in the South East League Final four more times since their infamous defeat against Justin Rose and Co. in 1996.
The loss was made worse by the fact that the defeat in his one and only SELF appearance for the county came at Stoneham, the county’s top course at the time.
Lionel Smith’s team gained some revenge by beating Essex on home soil at Frinton in 2000, while Richard Elmes’ team had a 100 per cent record when they were crowned League champions, in 2012, at Ashford Manor, another Middlesex course.
But Essex will be bidding for a hat-trick of wins over Hampshire after their wins at The Warren, near Chelmsford, 10 years ago, when future English Amateur Champion Todd Clements – now a European Tour winner – was in the North Division champions’ team.
Hampshire have reached the South East League Final 17 times since 1961, including this month’s clash with Essex, who have won the North Division 18 times, including in 2021 and 2022.
Nine of those title wins have come since 2010.
•DAILY TELEGRAPH LEAGUE FINAL WINNERS