Abu Dhabi: In a thrilling conclusion to the 2009 Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship (ADJGC), presented by The Daily Telegraph, 17-year-old Chris Lloyd overhauled long-time leader Tom Lewis to take the boys' title.
In the girls' match, 16-year-old Alexandra Peters held on to her overnight lead to win the 2009 title.
Receiving their trophies at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, the ADJGC venue, Lloyd and Peters were also awarded entry into January's 2010 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship Pro-Am, which takes place on the eve of the European PGA-tour season opener.
Lloyd played a winning final round of 73 to beat Lewis, who had led by eight shots at the end of round one and four shots going into Sunday's play.
Lloyd, from Bristol, bore down on Lewis and took the lead on the 12th hole. With a one shot lead going into the final hole he held his nerve to clinch the title with a final score of 11 under.
"It was an amazing end to the tournament, and it's great to be invited back to play in Abu Dhabi in the Pro-Am. I'll be there for sure as I love playing here," he said.
"I like to chase a game as I'm quite an aggressive player, so today suited me fine. Over the last nine I was playing some good shots and just playing steady and straight."
Further down the field, Tomasz Anderson took third place with a score of four over, while Dubai-based Joe Neale, who this year became the first UAE golfer in the tournament, had a solid final day and ended on 18 over.
Alexandra Peters clinched the girls' championship with a final score of five under, leaving her well ahead of nearest rival Jessica Wilcox who ended the tournament on level par.
Alexandra, from Shifnal, Nottinghamshire, had gone into the final day with a four shot lead and never looked in danger of losing it.
Finishing strongly, Wilcox jumped into second place helped by a run of three birdies on the front nine, ahead of Holly Clyburn and Heidi Baek who both recorded scores of three over.
Delighted at improving on her second place in last year's ADJGC, Peters said: "Coming down the last fairway I felt really good, as I had an idea of the other results, but I just needed to concentrate. This is my last tournament of the season so I am delighted to end it this way."
Lloyd and Peters were presented with their trophies by Faisal Al Shaikh, head of the Events Management section of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the championship's sponsor.
