Exciting prospect Eddie Pepperell showed his class by storming through to the semi-finals of the Boys Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl.

The 16-year-old, from Abingdon, fought off competition from boys much older than himself, before losing 4 & 3 to Scot Fraser Fotheringham in the last four.

The match turned on a typical matchplay situation at the par-five 12th where the Scot was one hole ahead.

Both players were close to the out-of-bounds area to the left of the green with their second shots, but Pepperell hit the better recovery to six feet.

Fotheringham was 20 feet away, but the pendulum swung in his favour when he holed the birdie putt. Pepperell missed and from a chance to square the match he found himself two down.

At the 13th, Fotheringham got up and down from a greenside bunker to go further ahead and Pepperell's fate was sealed when he three-putted the vast green at the short 14th.

Until then, English boys international Pepperell, who is a member of both Drayton Park and Frilford Heath, had enjoyed a brilliant week.

The highlight came in the second round when he beat the highly-rated Oscar Sharpe, from Minchinampton, at the fourth extra hole after a titanic contest.

Pepperell, who finished runner-up in the European Junior Masters last month, went on to beat Richard Bentham (Celtic Manor) 7 & 5 and Belgian Julien Rochelle by one hole to reach the last 16.

James Howie (Royal St Davids) was Pepperell's next victim, as he succumbed 2 & 1.

Pepperell was then involved in a tense quarter-final, before squeezing home by one hole against Jack Hiluta (Chelmsford).

The future is bright for Pepperell, who is still eligible for this compettion for another two years.