Golf: Brokenhurst Manor’s Martin Young and Bramshaw’s Joe Buenfeld to play crucial role as Hampshire aim for South East Championship

HAMPSHIRE captain Toby Burden has backed his young aces to fire the 2017 English county champions to their ninth South East Championship title in 23 years – but more importantly, their first in six years.

The 37-year-old will miss making his fifth appearance in the South East Qualifier, which takes place at Brighton’s The Dyke GC, on Saturday, because of family commitments.

But Burden is confident his team-mates, which will include Brokenhurst Manor’s Martin Young and Bramshaw’s Joe Buenfeld, can secure the place in September’s English County Finals up for grabs when England Golf’s 11-strong South Eastern Group qualifier is held in Sussex, without him.

Young and Buenfeld will be joined by George Saunders, Darren Walkley, Charlie Forster, and Jo Hacker on the county team.

Burden said: “When I was asked to take over the captaincy a couple of months ago, the date of the six-man was always going to be a problem because it clashes with a family commitment.

“I have had a niggling back problem over the last couple of months as well, so with the strength-in-depth we have and the way the guys have been playing over the last couple of months, I could not contemplate picking myself in that situation.

“Lots of planning has gone into the six-man with our county coach Kev Flynn – the players are having an extra practice round, and we played a league match there in 2021 when Joe Buenfeld and Jo Hacker made their debuts.”

Toby, who will be hoping Hampshire go one better than 12 months ago when they finished behind Kent in second, but 11 shots adrift in very strong winds at Surrey’s Farleigh GC added: “We have a game plan – we’ll be aggressive but also strategic in the way we play it.

“We will map the course and play to our strengths. To win it again after seven years would be fantastic – it would mean so much for the team, having won the league last year for the first time in 11 years.”

Young will make a staggering 24th consecutive appearance in the six-man in Sussex – that experience is balanced by four players with lots of experience in top-level college golf in America.

Bramshaw’s Buenfeld, who made his debut in 2021, makes his third appearance in four years.