Barton-on-Sea’s Ava Haines showed she could beat the best of the boys after sweeping the honours at the third edition of the Future Champions Tour.

The 12-year-old dominated the Order of Merit’s handicap section, after she won two of her nine events across the season.

She claimed a five-point victory at Weybrook Park back in May, after racking up an incredible 46 points having won the Ampfield Short Course Championship in April, when she shared the honours after tying with Archie Stead, from Cams Hall GC.

Haines received a Hampshire Golf pin flag signed by Hook’s Ryder Cup star Justin Rose, who first blossomed as a junior in the county’s development programme 30 years ago. She also picked up two more runners-up spots in her best season so far.

She was eighth in the final event of the season as Haines finished 24 points ahead of Hayling’s Giovanni Tourinot in second place in the table, while Wellow’s Beatrix Redfern was third with 50 points.

Barton-on-Sea, which last produced a Hampshire under-14 champion in 2004 when Luke Benford was the winner at Corhampton, had two other players in the top 10 of the end-of-season rankings.

Harry Coupe won the nett prize when the New Forest club hosted the FCT back in July, having carded three nett eagles in his round to secure a four-point victory.

The 11-year-old also claimed the first prize at the Grand Final, at Ampfield G&CC earlier this month, after carding an impressive 38 points to win by two.

The other Barton player in the top 10 was 11-year-old Luis Cuevero-Thomas who jumped up 15 places in the last event after finishing tied second at the Romsey short course, carding 36 points when playing off 13.