Formby Hall golfer Tommy Fleetwood just missed out on the Daily Telegraph Junior title

Dec 31 2008 by Our Correspondent, Formby Times

TOMMY FLEETWOOD was pipped to the Daily Telegraph Junior title by his friend and fellow England international Stiggy Hodgson.

The Sunningdale player beat Formby Hall’s Lancashire champion Fleetwood (pictured) in a play-off after the pair had traded birdies in the Abu Dhabi heat.

Defending champion Hodgson holed a 15ft birdie putt on the second sudden- death hole and gave his beaten rival and friend a lingering hug. The top two boys finished 12 shots ahead and conquered the 7,500-yard championship course by finishing 12 under. Hodgson did not drop a shot until the last hole, a poor bunker recovery and three- putt against Fleetwood’s seventh birdie, cancelling out a two-stroke lead. Fleetwood showed enough excellence to have destroyed most young opponents.

“He’s brilliant,” Fleetwood said. “I had a two-shot lead after 11 and he just seems to hole putts for fun, that kid.”