MATT Mumford is celebrating becoming the Wrag Barn men’s champion at only his second attempt.

The 19-year-old took the title after rounds of 71 and 76 in testing conditions at the Highworth club.

Mumford was six shots clear of runner-up Matt Davis, who beat Neil Newman into third on countback in the gross competition.

Paul Gillett led the way in the nett competition with a final score of 142 for his two rounds with Newman a shot back in second and Mark Walker third with 145.

And having shown vast improvements in his short game over the weekend, the former Dorcan Academy student is delighted to have been crowned champion at the club he has been a member of since he was seven-years-old.

“Going into the competition I had been struggling with my putting,” Mumford said.

“But this weekend I was chipping and putting well.

“I’m over the moon to win. This was only my second time playing in the tournament as you have to be 18 to compete - last year I finished third on countback to Dan Pulham.”

Wind and rain saw Mumford’s opening round delayed by an hour but that did not stop the Covingham resident from getting into the swing of things from the start.

“I know that I can control my game quite well when it is windy,” he said.

“But Dan was staying quite close to me on the Saturday.

“On the Sunday everyone was struggling a bit and I was able to open up a bit of a lead going into the back nine.”

Mumford, who went into the final day with an eight-shot lead, admits that he played quite defensively off the tee.

“I was using the irons more but I was making some careless errors,” he said.

“It was a risk, but thankfully I managed to hold on.

“I hit quite a few pars as well as five birdies in the first round and two in the second.”

With the Wrag Barn Men’s title secured, the teenager is now preparing himself for the Westwood Tour and the Wrag Barn club championships as well as playing in a qualifier for the Open at Remedy Oak in Dorset.