The Gerald Micklem is the most prestigious fixture in the school golfing calendar, bringing together leading independent schools in a fiercely competitive match play format. Hosted at the magnificent Woking Golf Club, one of England’s finest heathland venues, the tournament once again combined elite junior golf with a setting steeped in tradition.
As always, we were delighted to compete and are very grateful to both Woking Golf Club for hosting and the Old Wykehamist Golfing Society for organising such a magnificent event.
Day 1: Quarter-Final
Eton 5–0 Bradfield
We began the tournament in excellent fashion with a 5–0 victory over Bradfield, although the margin perhaps did not fully reflect how competitive several of the matches were.
At the top of the order, Louis made a fast start and quickly moved 3 up. The match remained competitive throughout, with both players producing some very good golf, but after reaching 5 up with 5 to play he maintained control to close it out 2&1.
Adhritt was involved in one of the tightest contests of the round. Neither player ever moved more than a hole ahead, and after the front nine finished all square, it remained finely balanced to the very end. A Bradfield birdie on the par-3 16th brought things back to all square, and the 17th was halved after both birdie chances narrowly missed. On the 18th, Adhritt responded superbly, holing a 20-foot putt for par to secure a 1 up win and another point for the team.
Lucas also came through a closely fought match, winning 2 up on the 18th after a well-contested back nine in which both players maintained a high standard.
Edo recovered well after going 1 down early on. Once settled, he found his rhythm and pulled away impressively to record a decisive 4&2 win.
With the tie already secured, David completed the clean sweep in the final match, winning 2&1 in another close and well-played encounter to seal an emphatic 5–0 result.
Day 2: Semi-Final
Eton 1.5–3.5 Wellington
Our reward was a semi-final against a strong Wellington side, widely considered to be the favourites.
In the opening match, Louis faced an excellent opponent who took the first two holes and maintained that advantage before accelerating on the back nine. A run of birdies from Wellington proved decisive, and the match finished 5&4.
Adhritt again played well, but came up against a particularly powerful and consistent opponent. Despite some strong moments, Wellington’s length off the tee and sharp ball-striking saw them take the match 4&3.
Our point of the round came from Lucas, who delivered a superb performance. An eagle on the 1st set the tone, and from there he played outstanding golf, reaching 2 under through 14 holes in a dominant 5&4 victory against strong opposition.
In the fourth match, Ansh was involved in an excellent contest early on, with birdies traded on the 1st, 4th and 6th. Wellington, however, then raised the level and pulled away, finishing 4 under through 14 holes to win 6&5.
The final match, featuring Edo, showed real promise. He was 1 or 2 up for much of the round before a couple of slipped shots allowed Wellington back in. With the overall result already decided, the match was left unfinished at all square through 14 holes.
Wellington went on to win the Micklem, defeating Stowe in the final, but for Eton’s golfers, it’s fair to say that reaching the semi-final of the Gerald Micklem Trophy is a significant achievement, and we take real pride in the level of golf produced across the event. Training for next year has already begun, and we are very much looking forward to returning to Woking in 2027 with the aim of emulating Eton’s 2014 glory.
