The opening stretch of the series saw players compete across three very different venues in quick succession, setting the tone for what promises to be another highly competitive season.
Corhampton Hosts Season Opener
The curtain raiser at Corhampton produced an excellent start to the campaign, with strongscoringsetting an early benchmark.
Fred Gill claimed the Gross title with an impressive performance, while Alex Boulton took top honours in the Nett competition. Both players set the early pace in the Order of Merit standings, making the most of the opening opportunity to secure valuable points.
Hayling Brings Coastal Challenge
The action then moved to Hayling, where players faced a contrasting links style test, with coastal conditions adding an extra layer of difficulty.
Home advantage proved decisive in bothcompetitions, with Hayling members dominating proceedings. Joseph Thorne secured the Gross title, while Matthew Gannon produced an excellent round to win the Nett prize, ensuring a clean sweep for the host club.
Liphook Delivers Dramatic Finish
The opening trio concluded atLiphook, where the closest contest of the week unfolded.
Thomas Carroll claimed the Gross title after a tightly fought battle, edging out Sam Gill on countback in one of the most competitive finishes of the early season. Sam, brother of Corhampton winner Fred, continued the family’s strong start to the campaign by taking victory in the Nett competition.
Strong Start to the 2026 Campaign
With three events completed in quick succession, the earlyOrder of Merit standingsare beginning to take shape. Consistency across differing course styles, from parkland to links and heathland, has already proven key as Liphook's Leo Camping takes an early lead in the gross leaderboard and Alex Boulton takes podium position on the nett.
The opening week has highlighted both the depth of talent across Hampshire and the competitive nature of the series, with multiple players making strong early statements.
The next Order of Merit event takes place at Romsey on 10 May, where players will look to build on their early season form as the race for honours continues