WOOLSTON MANOR Golf club’s rising star Jack Winer added another trophy to his bulging cabinet when he won the prestigious Keating Trophy at Frinton Golf Club last week.

Winer, along with several other local golfers, including club mate Perry Morgan and West Essex’s Ross Spurgeon, was among the field of 14, who all made the cut for the main draw after a qualifying event two weeks ago.

The 20-year-old golfer muscled his way past four opponents, before edging a thrilling final against Spurgeon.

Winer, seeded four for the tournament, dispatched Darren Pegram by a margin of 6&5 in the first round, while 11th seed Spurgeon took out number six Jay Beisser, 2up.

Morgan, ranked as the favourite for the event, came through his first encounter with ease, but he was put to the sword by Boyce Hill’s Andrew May in the quarter-finals.

After seeing off Steve Rooney in the last eight, Winer met his match in May. However, after 18 holes failed to separate the pair, the local player prevailed with a birdie on the first extra hole.

Spurgeon’s route to the last four was helped by a magnificent hole-in-one at the sixth hole, as he defeated Ross Dee. A victory over number two seed Jack Clarke followed to set up a mouthwatering final.

The game looked up for the West Essex golfer, as he slipped to four down by the turn. And when Winer reached the 16th at three up, the victory seemed a formality.

However, two holes on the bounce for Spurgeon took the match down the last.

Both players made the green in three on the long par five, but it was Winer who held his nerve to take the title.

Meanwhile, in the first round of the Norman Plum Trophy, there were wins for lford and Abridge, although Chingford and Epping were knocked out.

In the first round of the Essex Seniors, Ilford knocked out Epping, while there were also wins for Royal Epping Forest, Abridge, Woodford and Woolston Manor.

Essex’s Under 18 boys also enjoyed a successful weekend, with West Essex’s Jack Heasman, Joe Kelly from Woolston Manor, Wanstead’s George Evans and Loughton’s Reece Francis all helping the team to victory over Suffolk.