Ellis crowned English Amateur champion (From Daily Echo)

Ellis crowned English Amateur champion

7:39pm Saturday 4th August 2012 in Golf

Meon Valley Golf Club's teenage ace Harry Ellis has become the youngest ever player to win the English Amateur Championship.

The 16-year-old beat Henry Tomlinson 2&1 in a marathon 36-hole final at Silloth-on-Solway, in Cumbria, today.

The match lasted nearly 11 hours, due to a pair of stoppages because of thunderstorms.

Ellis had held a slender one-hole advantage at the halfway mark and extended his advantage to three up with six to play.

Royal Lytham & St Annes player Tomlinson then mounted a late fightback, but was unable to reel in Ellis, who beat the record for the youngest golfer to win the tournament - a mark that had been set by an 18-year-old Nick Faldo in 1975.

The Hampshire player said: "I’m overwhelmed and exhausted. I feel I’m in a dream but the whole week has been superb. I felt like pulling out after playing the Carris Trophy last week because I’ve played so much golf.

"At 16, you don’t expect this sort of thing to happen. You see the likes of Rory McIlroy making the headlines but you don’t expect to add to the history of this event.

"I had no expectations at the start of the week but I think not knowing my opponents helped a lot. You just go out and play golf.

"I think my mental strength carried me through while I had tremendous support from those in Hampshire who made the long journey here to cheer me on."