Justin Rose praise for competitors in 2024 Telegraph Junior Golf Championship including Bishop’s Stortford’s Ben Sessions

A major winner and Olympic gold medallist hailed the standard of a competition in which a Bishop’s Stortford youngster finished fourth.

Teenager Ben Sessions, who attends The Bishop’s Stortford High School, fought back from a disappointing opening round to almost make the top three at the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship in Portugal.

And Rose, who sponsors the event - labelled the junior game’s unofficial major - was hugely impressed with the Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club member and all of his rivals.

“The standard seems to be getting better and better,” said 2013 US Open winner and 2016 Olympic champion Rose, who won the competition for 12 to 18 year olds when he was a youngster.

“But it’s not just the quality of their games that’s really heartwarming to see, it’s the camaraderie of the group too. It’s exactly how golf should be.”

Sessions, 16, was six over par at the end of the opening 18 holes at Quinta do Lago, but, two rounds later, ended up two under par and only two shots adrift of the joint runners-up.

“After such a disappointing opening round, I was delighted to come back so strongly,” said Sessions. “To achieve a bogey-free round anywhere is very rare, but to do it in this competition was very special.

“I really enjoyed the experience of playing and socialising with such quality golfers, many of whom I will no doubt come across in various competitions in the years ahead.”