Liphook’s quest for a first victory in the Hampshire Sevens will have to enter the competition’s 60th anniversary next year after the trophy was snatched from their hands by a 14-year-old.

Eleven-handicapper Aiden Wilson had been the star of Royal Jersey’s run to the final at Rowlands Castle Golf Club, winning four of his five matches.

And the Channel Island kid slammed the door shut in the face of Liphook’s Trevor Finlay – who had shown his own mettle by coming back from three-down with four to play – winning three holes in a row to leave the match all-square going down 18.

Wilson could not reach the green in two, with the gusting 20mph hurting the uphill approach in front of the clubhouse as the second of the seven matches reached its conclusion.

But with a shot in hand, the teenager played his third from short of the green to the back left, resting pin high, and then nervelessly sank his ten-footer for a nett birdie to send the watching Royal Jersey players and supporters into an ecstatic celebration.

Wilson, who was getting six shots from Finlay, was lifted into the air by one of his team-mates, while the rest rushed to congratulate him, with Liphook left crestfallen.

Just half-an-hour earlier, the live scoring app was telling everyone that the East Hampshire team were heading to win the Inter-Club Knockout for the first time since the Sevens creation in 1966.

John Groombridge held a narrow lead in the top match, but he too was outdone on the last as his 30-foot putt down the sloping green swung away to the right, leaving Philip Grehan a simple five-footer for his par and a one-hole win.

Lower down the order, Hamish Rushin had put the first point on the board for Liphook, winning 8&7 against Royal Jersey’s Paul Le Rougetel in the fourth game out.

But Jersey’s Jason Byrne and Chris Huelin gave the Channel Island champions a 2-1 lead by beating Liphook’s Richard Lushington and Chris Penn by 4&3 and 7&5 respectively.

With Jersey’s Grehan and Wilson then delivering the hammer blow in a matter of minutes, Liphook’s Bruce Mellstrom and James Chapman were left out on the course to finish their matches.

Sevens captain Chapman had put himself out last in the anchor role and was never threatened by Royal Jersey’s captain-elect Matthew Hague, having been three-up after six, and going four-up on the 14th when the decisive putt was dropping a few hundred yards away.

Chapman said: “I heard the roar when those two putts went in, but at that point, I had no idea if that was us holing an important putt or them.

“I got to the turn when I was three-up and was just focusing on my game.

“I quite like the pressure of having something resting on my game in the Sevens, and play better normally.

“And if things are going well, there’s no stress if we already have four points.

“Steven Schorar, who played in the morning semi-final win, was nominated to give advice to our players.

“He came over and said things were going well, but no more detail, so knowing I was three-up, I felt quite relaxed.

“Obviously, it turned out that the top matches swung their way, and in the end we came up just a bit short.

“I am really proud of the team.

“I played when we reached the 2004 finals.

“I was 16, so I have played a lot of Sevens golf.

“The team did brilliantly to reach the final – the home advantage in our four matches helped.

“But getting to the last four is an achievement in itself.

“The handicaps mean you can’t pick our club’s strongest players – like Darren Walkley and Conor Richards, who have played for Hampshire.

“They could end up giving a dozen shots or more.

“We have had a settled side with a good spread of handicaps from five to 15, and everyone has played their part.

“I would like to do it again – maybe a tenth time as captain will finally see us triumph.”

Liphook booked their place in the afternoon final by beating Hockley in the semi-finals.

By Andrew Griffin