Rising golf star with famous caddie wins Lytham Trophy

The Florida-based Englishman won this world-ranking amateur event at Royal Lytham and St Annes by two shots, aged only 17.

Far more experienced was his Swedish caddie, Fanny Sunesson, who carried Sir Nick Faldo’s bag throughout the 1990s, when the English great won the last four of his six Majors.

Sunesson helped Kennedy to plot his way around the world-famous Fylde links for a four-round total of 278 (70-68-68-72), two under par, in the 57th edition of this annual championship.

After his bogey-free 68 in the first of Sunday’s closing two rounds, Kennedy took a four-shot lead into his final 18 holes.

A closing 72, two-over, was good enough for victory but Kennedy was pushed by joint-runners-up, James Ashfield from Wales and Spaniard Luis Masaveu, who finished with a 68 which included a hole in one at the fifth.

Kennedy won the Portuguese International Amateur Championship last year and this latest triumph in one of the amateur game’s most prestigious events boosts his hopes of featuring in Great Britain and Ireland’s 10-man team to face the Americans in the Walker Cup. The team for that September showdown at St Andrews will be confirmed in August.

Last year’s Lytham Trophy winner, John Gough, tied for 22nd place on 292.