Barritt, 17, from winning the Junior Amateur Match Play Championships yesterday at Riddell's Bay, three-and-one.

Barritt was leading by five holes at the end of the first 18 holes of the 36-hole final and looked to have the game sewn up.

However, after falling six holes down, Mello charged back in the afternoon and reduced Barritt's lead to one after the 14th hole before Barritt won the 15th to go two-up and the 17th with a birdie to clinch his first title.

"It was a long day and in the morning it was quick and I was confident about myself but Ryan knew he had a chance and made the comeback,'' explained Barritt who will be too old for this tournament next year.

For that reason Mello was happy for the winner.

"I'm disappointed but happy for him because this is his last year to do it,'' said Mello who beat Aaron James one-up in the semi-final.

"I played good but I couldn't catch him.'' Barritt saved it late before pulling off an exciting victory over stubborn Mello. "I was losing hole by hole and then finally I said `this is my last showing, I want to win this thing bad' and I got my head back in it on 15,'' he explained. "Once I made par there and he didn't make par I went two-up again.

"On 17 I hit it to about three feet and made a putt for birdie. We were both tired but none of us wanted to give up.'' Full results, see Scoreboard .

CLUB CLASS -- Justin Barritt (left) held on to win the Junior Match Play Championship at Riddell's Bay yesterday despite a determined comeback by Ryan Mello (right), three years his junior at just 14 years old.