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Grand Final 2023

Wee Wonders Grand Final 2023 – August 26th & 27th

The 29th Grand Final weekend began on Friday August 25th, with registration and practice rounds taking place throughout the day. The Scottish sunshine was shining down on East Lothian, it promised to be a great weekend for the 82 Wee Wonders that had earned their way into the Grand Final. Making up the 82 participants were Wee Wonders that had finished in the Top 3 during the 2022 Grand Final, and players that had successfully come through the 2023 qualifying process.

On Saturday, the 7 categories began competing across Gullane Golf Club & North Berwick “Wee Course”.

North Berwick would play host to the youngest of the categories, Boys 5-6 and Girls 5-8. Gullane #3 hosting the other 5 categories: Boys 11-12, Girls 11-12, Boys 9-10, Girls 9-10, and Boys 7-8.

With the weather playing ball again on Saturday, the 2023 Grand Finalists had a stunning opening day for competing along Scotland Golf’s Coast. In the Boys 11-12 category, Ireland’s Justin Dennehy, and Wales’ Thomas Maclean raced into a join lead, both firing a 71 around Gullane #3. Hot on their heels was Englishman Leo Lambert, the reigning Boys 9-10 champion from 2022, who looked comfortable stepping up an age category this year. He fired a steady 73 around the links.

In this year’s Boys 9-10 category, things were very tight after round 1. After his opening round of 79, Harry Palmer held a 1 shot lead from Tom Prytherch, one shot further back from Tom was Ollie Roach, who opened with an 81.

Across in the Girls 11-12 category, Scotland’s Carly McDonald opened a commanding 4 shot lead thanks to a fine 72. Izzy Stokes, who was in 2nd place, made an impressive eagle on the 16th hole, to keep the pace with McDonald.

The Girls 9-10 and Boys 7-8 would compete over the front 9 holes on each day of the championship. Local favourite, Stella Walters burst into an early lead, 2 under par round of 34 to open a 7 shot lead from fellow Scot Tarah Simpson, with Lucy Robertson a further two shots back. In the Boys 7-8 category, Evan Macaulay opened a 5 shot lead after his level par round which included 4 birdies. Owen Laird fired an opening round of 41 to sit in second place behind Macaulay.

Along at the stunning North Berwick “Wee Course”, the Boys 5-6, and Girls 5-8 categories enjoyed going around the 9-hole par 3 course twice on each tournament day. Day 1 saw Matthew Maclean take control of the Boys 5-6 category, after opening with a 71, putting him 7 shots ahead of Lucas Macaulay & George Rowell who shared 2nd on 78. Completing a family hat trick, Molly Maclean fired an impressive 68 to lead the Girls 5-8, meaning that she joined her brothers in leading their respective categories. Maclean was closely followed by Sophie Chapman who shot a solid round of 70 around the par 3 course.

Three good weather days in a row? It was too good to be true! Occasional showers came into play during Sunday’s final round, but that did not dampen the spirits of the Wee Wonders competing. Nor did it dampen the quality of golf on show. In the Boys 11-12 category, Gullane member & local favourite, Ryan Killorn rallied back from a disappointing opening round of 77 and carded a closing round of 68. Helping Killorn clinch 3rd place. In the final group, Justin Dennehy & Thomas Maclean, both determined to become a Wee Wonders champion in their final year, put on a stellar show of golf. Both players carded only one bogey each on their scorecards during Sunday’s round. Dennehy carded 4 birdies en route to a closing 66, narrowly beating Maclean by one shot to clinch the Boys 11-12 title.

In the Boys 9-10 category, Harry Palmer & Tom Prytherch continued the theme from round 1, and could only be separated by one shot in their second round. Palmer carded a closing round of 80, with Prytherch going one better at 79. Both players tied on a total of 159, with Prytherch taking second place by virtue of a lower second round, impressive golf in his first Wee Wonders Grand Final. The closing round in the Boys 9-10 category belonged to Ollie Roach. A man on a mission, Roach rallied on Sunday and closed with a very impressive 72 which included birdies on 16 & 18 to secure his Wee Wonders Boys 9-10 championship for 2023, by a margin of 6 shots.

After opening with an impressive round of 72, Carly McDonald was in great position to bring home the Girls 11-12 championship. Izzy Stokes sat 4 shots behind McDonald heading into the Final Round, but unfortunately could not mount a charge and closed with an 82 to secure 2nd place, 3 shots ahead of Morgan Bollan. Determined to become a Wee Wonders champion in her final year, McDonald opened with an eagle in her final round and did not look back from there. One more eagle and two birdies helped McDonald to a closing 1 under par, 70. Resulting a convincing victory for the Scot in her last Wee Wonders Championship.

In the Boys 7-8 category, Jayden Graham, bounced back from an opening round of 43, to shoot a closing 39 and clinch 3rd place by one shot. Matching Graham’s round of 39, Owen Laird carded 7 pars on Sunday to secure 2nd place in the Boys 7-8 category. Playing in his first ever Wee Wonders Grand Final, Evan Macaulay was not phased by the occasion. Macaulay birdied 3 of his opening 4 holes to build on an already convincing lead from Saturday. Macaulay closed with a round of 35 to secure his Wee Wonders Championship by 9 shots.

The Girls 9-10 category saw a very close race for 2nd place. A closing round of 44 was enough to secure 3rd place for Tarah Simpson. Narrowly pipping Simpson to 2nd place was Lucy Robertson, who improved her score from Saturday by 2 shots, and closed with a 41.  Looking to build on an already convincing lead, Stella Walters, opened with an eagle in her first round, and then made 4 birdies in a row from the 3rd hole. Walters closed with a spectacular round of 30, to finish -8 for the 18 holes and go one better than her 2nd place finish in the 2022 Grand Final.

Across at the North Berwick “Wee Course”, the Boys 5-6 category was host to a dramatic closing round. Trailing 3rd place by 2 shots overnight, Oliver Chapman, composed himself on Sunday and closed with an 81 to secure a Top 3 finish. With 9 holes to go, Matthew Maclean continued his impressive golf from Saturday, and opened a 9 shot lead over Lucas Macaulay. The phrase, “doesn’t begin until the back 9 on Sunday” has become ascribed to the Masters Tournament but could also be used for the 2023, Boys 5-6 Wee Wonders Championship. Showing a battling spirit, Macaulay saved his best golf of the week until the back 9 on Sunday. On the closing stretch, Macaulay nearly made a hole in one on the par 3, 13th hole, helping him to a score of 30 for the back 9 holes. The closing round of 67 resulted in Macaulay taking home the Boys 5-6 trophy by virtue of the lowest last round, joining his older brother, Evan, as a Wee Wonders champion.

In the Girls 5-8 category, Morven Cameron improved on her 1st round by 3 strokes to secure a 3rd place finish. Exempt from her performance in the 2022 Grand Final, Sophie Chapman was determined to secure a Top 3 finish, and book her place in the 2024 Grand Final alongside her brother. Chapman closed with a 79 to ensure a 2nd place finish. Defending champion, Molly Maclean was in fine form over the weekend. An impressive closing round of 66 assured another Wee Wonders Championship for Maclean, also securing a hat- trick of Top 3 finishes for the Maclean family.

A big thank you to everyone who has supported Wee Wonders events in 2023, we can’t wait to see you all back out on the golf course in 2024.

Please click the link for  final results: Wee Wonders Grand Final Results 2023

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