MARTYN Hamer celebrated his England call-up for next month’s European Boys’ Team Championship in the Czech Republic by winning the Hulbert Trophy at Manchester.

The 17-year-old Worsley Park player emulated his dad Steve, who dominated the regional amateur scene before quitting to caddie for his son a couple of seasons ago.

But on this occasion he was nowhere to be seen.

“I sacked him for the day,” explained Martyn, after clinching his first Mitsushiba Northern Order of Merit title and dropping his handicap to scratch for the first time.

“I wanted to do something on my own for a change so I pulled my clubs and made all the decisions. But dad was chuffed when he found out I’d won.”

Last month he told M.E.N. Sport that he had no intention of following in the spike marks of Steve by playing for England and planned to turn professional sooner rather than later, but he's since had a change of heart.

International ambition

“I’ve changed my mind,” he said. “Since being picked for the boys I’ve revised my ambitions and want to make the full international squad.

“I’ve had a great start to the year. I’m off to Holland on Thursday to prepare for Westfriese Junior Masters then I’m playing in the Midland Open at Woodhall Spa later next week.”

Hamer, who quit college to play full time, won the Lancashire Boys’ Championship at Bury earlier in the season then last month was runner-up to Yorkshire’s Michael Skelton in Under-20s’ section in the Brabazon Trophy at Hunstanton.

He finished two shots clear of second-placed Lancashire player Craig Vance at Manchester, rounds of 70 and 69 giving him an impressive five-under-par total containing eight birdies.

Hamer and his Lancashire teammate Matthew Baldwin, the England under-16 champion, are among a six-strong national squad competing in Holland.

Also in the team for the Czech match is Cheshire’s Paul Waring, who this week is in the England line-up defending the World Junior Team Championships in Japan.

  • CHESHIRE made a solid start in the Northern Counties Women's Championship at Wilmslow where they overwhelmed Cumbria 7-2.

Prestbury's Kamilla Lawton secured the winning point by despatching Calre Brown three and two.

But defending champions Lancashire lost 5-4 to Yorkshire, Crompton and Royton's Karen Heywood bringing respectability to the score by beating Rachel Lomas four and three.

Durham, meanwhile, overpowered Northumberland 9-0 at the start of the week-long series of matches.