THE race to win the Hampshire Order of Merit reaches its climax this weekend, with the final two events taking place back-to-back (writes Andrew Griffin).

Tom Robson, who would love to add the Cullen Quaich to the Sloane Stanley Challenge Trophy he won at the 2009 Hampshire Amateur Championship and his Hampshire Junior Championship from 2006 It would put him in the rare position of having won the four prime titles he has been eligible to compete for so far in his career.

With county captain Martin Young not in contention for Order of Merit silverware, Robson will have to keep a close eye on clubmate Billy McKenzie. The left-hander has had an up-and down-year, but can overhaul his Hampshire first-team colleague by earning enough points in the Courage Trophy, hosted by The Army club on Sunday.

McKenzie currently trails by one-and-a-half points, following Robson’s joint second place in Petersfield Golf Club’s Wishart Trophy.

Robson, who won the Courage Trophy at Liphook back in 2011, finished tied second for the Wishart alongside Hayling’s Richard Harris.

They were pipped to the trophy by Sussex player Steve Watts.

Harris carded rounds of 74 and 70 to finish on level par, while Robson had the reverse to finish two shots ahead of Petersfield’s own Henry Holland (74, 72), who went on to claim the handicap trophy with a superb net 142, playing off two.

The host club is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and BBC golf commentator Peter Alliss presented the prizes, having made the short drive from his Hindhead home.

The Southampton Open, which was due to be held last weekend, has been rearranged for this Saturday.

While the city’s municipal club has produced some of the county’s rising stars in years gone by, the problem of competing for memberships with more prestigious member clubs has hit Southampton and Portsmouth hard.

The Portsmouth Open, held at Crookhorn in early August, was won by Stoneham’s Dan Hannam – currently 13th in the Order of Merit list.

In its first two years, the Quaich was won by Hayling’s 2015 Hampshire Amateur Champion, Darren Walkley, who is now playing on the EuropPro Tour, trying to play his way up on to the European Challenge Tour.