Ben Sessions helps England win Girls’ and Boys’ Home International after landing Hertfordshire County Boys’ Championship
Ben Sessions enjoyed a triumphant England debut as he helped his country win the Girls’ and Boys’ Home International.
The 17-year-old Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club member was part of the 16-strong combined team that lifted the trophy at Cork Golf Club in Ireland, with matches against the hosts, Scotland and Wales.
The girls topped the leaderboard with three wins out of three while the boys finished second behind Scotland.
England have now won all five editions since the amalgamated tournament began in 2021.
England secured a 13-8 overall win over Wales on the first day. Sessions and his playing partner Harry Cox beat Thomas Richardson and Ted Ballard 4&3 in the morning foursomes before Sessions lost 4&3 to Paul Reid in the afternoon singles.
The Bishop’s Stortford High School student did not feature in the foursomes against Ireland - England won the match 14½-6½ overall - before losing 3&2 to Caelan Coleman in the singles.
There was a 13-8 overall success for England over Scotland on the final day, with Sessions losing 4&2 against Oli Blackadder.
Sessions went into the event having hit the sixth hole in one of his career on his way to winning the Hertfordshire County Boys’ Championship.
The teenager finished six under par after two rounds to top the leaderboard and also help Stortford win the team event at Knebworth Golf Club.
Sessions had a four-shot lead at the halfway stage after being the only player to compile an under-par round of 68 (-3).
He then repeated the feat in the afternoon to end with a six-under-par total of 138 for the day, putting him eight shots clear of runner-up River Gardiner, of Porters Park.
Sessions’ hole in one came on the penultimate hole in the second round - the 163-yard par-three eighth - using a nine iron.
His previous holes in one had come at his Dunmow Road home course, Stevenage, Brocket Hall, John O’Gaunt and in a junior competition in America.
Sessions and his Stortford clubmates Euan Hardie (+4) and Eddie Cook (+11), who finished seventh and 23rd respectively, were part of the team event as they ended eight shots ahead of West Herts.
Other Stortford players in action were Oliver Bannister (19th, +9), Callum Dargue (29th, +16), Alfie Kitteridge (35th, +19), Jesse Rasor (39th, +21) and Jay-Jay Bush (53rd, +33).