Bermudian Ryan Mello won the 1999 Bermuda Junior Amateur Match Play Championship, beating William Haddrell one-up at the Riddell's Bay Golf Club yesterday.

Haddrell, an English resident whose mother is Bermudian, was two-up after the first 18 holes in the morning session having taken full advantage of his powerful driving. But the match turned out a tale of two halves as Haddrell could not withstand the charge of Mello in the final 18 holes.

Mello had erased Haddrell's lead three holes into the afternoon session, winning the first and third holes. After halving the the fourth hole, Mello began to stake his claim to the championship, going ahead on the fifth with a birdie, before Haddrell's own birdie on the following hole levelled the score once again.

Mello closed out the front nine two-up before steady golf by both players left the scores unchanged until 15th hole. Mello's tee shot off the 15th sailed wide into the trees and he conceded the hole, reducing his lead to one-up.

However, that would be the closest that Haddrell would get as Mello regained his confidence to hang on for victory. Mello would have claimed his victory at the 17th had it hot been for a superb uphill putt by the resilient Haddrell.

Mello saved his best for last at the 18th when he chipped his second shot within 20 feet of the cup as Haddrell scrambled to stay in the match with an agressive tee shot that found the Oleander trees.

Haddrell's gamble did not pay dividends, as the steady Mello held on for a one-up victory.

"It was a great match. He was tough all day, he kept making me make pars and forced me to stick my shots. I just had to play my own game,''said Mello who attends Hilton Head Preparatory School in South Carolina. In the 14 and under championship, Thomas Edwards beat medalist Sean Harlingten four-and-three.

"The course was in pretty good condition, the greens were nice and the pins were in good positions,'' said Harlingten who shot a winning score of 72 during the medal round on Monday.

Tyler Marshall emerged as the 12-and-under championship winner defeating Shane Kelly seven-and-six. Marshall was also the medalist earlier in the week with a score of 61.

"I won on the 12th hole and he (Shane Kelly) played pretty good. I want to become a pro one day,'' said Marshall.

Nick Jones defeated Blair Marshall one-up in the 10-and-under championship although Marshall was the medalist winner earlier in the week with a score of 48 over nine holes.

Ryan Mello: match play champion.