Petersfield Golf Club’s Ollie McDonald won the Liphook Junior Open with a nett score of 66.

The event, played from white competition tees, fielded 42 players from as far afield as Guernsey and Essex, and 12-year-old McDonald did particularly well as he had never played the course before.

The 36-hole competition held the scratch round in the morning.

The stableford – which takes a player’s handicap into consideration – was meant to be played in the afternoon, but bad weather brought a premature halt to the second round when the heavens opened with thunder, lightning and hail.

This did not dampen McDonald’s spirits, as he was declared the nett winner on the 18 holes played in the morning, shooting a gross 87, nett 66.

He said: “I really enjoyed playing the course for the first time, and the fine quality of the whole course – especially the fairways and greens.

“With the challenging hazards of steep bunkers and thick heather, I had to play a straight game. My driver and three wood were playing well to keep me straight.

“I had a rough start with a bogey and triple bogey, so had to get into the round and not give up, knowing there was still plenty of golf to play.

“I’m so proud of finishing with a nett 66.”

Jayden Tucknott (Royal Guernsey Club) won the scratch event with a five-under-par gross score of 67.

This was McDonald’s second open of the year, having come fourth overall at Corhampton a few weeks ago, and he is entered into eight more opens this year. His handicap index has dropped from 19.1 to 18, and he has been selected for training with the Hampshire county under-14s.