In the final day of play in the County Finals Wiltshire played Essex in the decider. Half a game point ahead from the earlier rounds Wiltshire needed a halved series or a win to take the title and started so well in the morning foursomes. At one stage up in all three games the lead started to slip away and all three games were decided on the 18th. In the top match, Wiltshire's top scorer, Ben Loughrey rolled in a 20 foot putt for a birdie to match Essex and hold on to a 1 hole win. The other two matches ended in halves leaving Wiltshire with a 2 points to 1 advantage at lunch.

In the afternoon singles, Essex fought back, up in 5 and all square in the top match they looked like running away with the title and secured two early wins as Ben Stow and Sam Matton lost to opponents playing superb golf. The Wiltshire team though was fighting back. Captain Ali James, 1 down with two to play, squared his match on the 17th and then snatched victory on the testing last hole with a birdie 4. Soon after, Miles Mackman turned his match around to win 2 and 1 and remain unbeaten in his 6 matches and be Wilsthire's joint leading points scorer. Wiltshire then had two points from the singles and needed just one more half to take the title. Matt Swales, pulled back 2 holes to take his match to the 18th 1 down, had to go for broke but failed to carry the water off his drive and had to concede a 2 hole defeat, so the team's fortunes rested with Ben Loughrey, winner of his first 5 matches and all square with 3 to play.

On 16, Ben's opponent, Ross Spurgeon, hit his approach within 3 feet for a certain birdie but, playing first, Ben rolled in a heroic 20 foot putt for a three to keep Wilsthire's hopes alive. On 17, playing from a difficult lie, Ben played his approach to the same distance as Ross, the tension mounted as the referee measured the putts and Ben putted first, a gimme. Ross then ran his putt 4 feet past the hole, but holed the return and the crucial match was still all square going up the last. A great drive by Ben found the middle of the fairway, short of the water, with the green reachable in two. Ross played an iron from the tee, a second to 100 yards short trying to make the 4 he needed with an up and down birdie. Then tragedy struck for Ben as his 3 wood second veered left of the green and carried into the out of bounds practice ground. A superb pitch by Ross to 3 feet for a guaranteed birdie snatched the game point for Essex and with it the English County Champions title.

So desperately sad for one of Wiltshire's best players but the first to console him was his opponent who delayed his own celebration with his team to wrap his arms around Ben.

For an impartial observer the contest was everything that great sporting contests should be. Played in a wonderful spirit of respect by the players, generously applauded by the large crowd of local supporters and nail biting to the end it was a day that will be remembered for a long time by all who participated.

Full results can be found on the EGU website, here. The individual results of the team are shown below.