English men's amateur championship down to quarter-finals

MATTHEW CRYER AIMING FOR PLACE IN
FINAL AT ROYAL ST GEORGE'S

FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE

Over the past two English men's amateur championships Matthew Cryer has been beaten in the quarter finals and the semi-finals. He aims to maintain the progression this time after reaching the last eight.
As the sun was replaced by overcast conditions at Royal St George’s yesterday, Cryer beat Andrew Cooley then Chris Bartlett to earn a quarter final place against Dale Marmion.
Against Bartlett, Cryer had to pull out all the stops to continue his quest before powering to a 4 and 2 victory over the back nine.
“It was a tough match,” said Cryer. “I had to batten down the hatches and hold on over the first eight holes to stay all square.
“Then Jack hit a couple of loose shots and I managed a couple of birdies. I was happy not to drop a shot and to be in the quarters. I’m on the dawn patrol again tomorrow so I’ll put the flags out as I go round.”
John Parry has a poor record in the championship. He has rarely got beyond the early rounds but after also reaching the quarter finals and with the demise of his international team-mates he could go all the way.
The Yorkshireman faced a tricky encounter against Lancashire’s Matthew Baldwin in a Roses tussle but three birdies in a row from the tenth put Parry through.
“With my record I’ll take each match at a time,” he said. “I felt the match with Matt would go the distance but the birdies were crucial.”
Parry will now face Shane Winston from Bristol, who beat Essex teenager Dale Whitnell 3 and 1. “I played John in last year’s County Finals at Prince’s and we halved so I’m looking forward to locking horns again,” said Winstone.
There are many ways to celebrate your birthday and Ross Wilson celebrated his 25th by booking a place in the quarter finals at the expense of Tom Shadbolt. Wilson, from Chelmsford, beat the Hertfordshire man 6 and 5 and modestly summed up his success by saying:
“I’m quite pleased.”
It didn’t start well for Wilson as Shadbolt chipped in for birdie at the first. But the Essex man was soon ahead and a run of birdies saw him five up at the turn before the end came on the 13th.
Wilson, who has twice finished runner-up in the Essex championship, has ambitions to turn professional but feels he needs to do well in a ’big event’ before making the switch. The title would be his best-ever present.
Wilson now faces James Robinson from Southport, who came back from an early deficit to beat Ben Evans 3 and 2. John Ambridge, the oldest player in the championship at 50, gave 19 year old Daniel Willett a run for his money including draining a 70-foot putt from off the 17th green to stay alive, before bowing out on the final green.
“I didn’t play well this afternoon,” said Ambridge. “I hit three poor tee shots and didn’t putt well and you cannot afford to do that.”
Willett also felt he wasn’t in the best form. “I scrambled a bit on the front nine but did a little better coming home,” he admitted. “John didn’t make many mistakes but a win is a win.” Willett, the Yorkshire champion, now meets fellow US college student Chris Paisley from Northumberland, who put out Durham’s Michael Curry 4 and 3.
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