CONOR GOUGH pulled off an impressive five-shot win in the Reid Trophy despite a little last hole drama at Porters Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire.

Gough, 13, was cruising home in the English Under-14 Boys Open Championship when a caught a flier with his second shot to the 18th hole. It cleared the green and finished in an almost inaccessible position beneath tree branches.

Gough, from Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire, opted to replay the shot and this time finished safely to the right of the green. From there he calmly played a neat up-and-down to complete his march to victory.

"I was shocked it went so far," said Gough, who initially took a six iron for the 190-yard shot. "I hit a good shot but it just came out like a proper flier.

"I knew I was five or six shots in the lead so I just told myself to take a double bogey and win."

He led the championship from start to finish, opening with a three-under 67, following up with a one-over 71 and signing off with 74 for a two-over par total.

Gough said: "I'm really happy to win this. It was important because it's my last year. Hopefully I can look forward to winning more competitions in the future."

The runner-up on seven-over was Nicola Gerhardsen of Switzerland whose closing level par 70 was the best score of the day.

Third place on eight-over was shared by Lancelot Salisbury of France, who also made progress with 71, and England's Dominic Clemons, who finished with 74.

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Conor Gough in action during the Reid Trophy.

Oscar Doran of England also finished in the top 10, sharing ninth place, while Joseph Wood and Thomas Gregory (Stoke Park) were in a group tied for 12th place.

The win for Gough completes a remarkable couple of weeks in which he also won the U15 Douglas Johns Trophy and successfully defended the Berks, Bucks & Oxon U14 Boys County Championship.

He has now won that title three years in a row, first claiming it at the age of 11, when he also had the first of his two U12 Championship wins.

Gough set off on his final round with a three-shot lead and played steadily throughout.

He finished a couple over par on the outward nine, but his playing partners and most of the field, were also dropping shots.

As Gough turned for home he was five clear.

He underlined his dominance in the event with birdies on the 10th and 13th, both par fives that he two-putted and which got him to two-under for the championship.

He was back to level par as he played the 18th, but not even the final hole blip could do much to dent his progress toward a first national title.

"It feels good, very good," said Gough. "When I first got here I liked the course and knew if I played well I could win it. Then, after my first two rounds, I thought this could be my week.

"I just kept to my strategy all well and, in the final round, I didn't really hit any bad shots, I was just a bit unlucky on the last."