Russian amateur champion Uzzell struggles

to win first-round tie at Woodhall Spa

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Steven Uzzell admitted he struggled through his first round tie in the English amateur championship at Woodhall Spa, his 16th successive day on the golf course.
The international from Yorkshire beat Tom Oliver on the final green, having trailed for most of the contest when he might easily have made an early exit.
Having spent the previous fortnight in Russia winning the Russian Amateur then playing all four rounds of the Russian Open on the European Tour, Uzzell arrived in Lincolnshire tired but happy.
Having easily qualified, the 25-year-old faced a tricky hurdle in Oliver, who led twice, the second time from the fifth hole. It was a lead he held to the 16th where a par 4 put Uzzell level.
Then an Oliver three-putt at the next saw Uzzell ahead for the first time. The door was open and Uzzell slipped through, closing the contest out on the final green, much to his relief.
“It was a real struggle,” he said. “I found it hard to concentrate but this was my 16th successive day on the golf course so I suppose it was surprising. Tom played solid and you could see he plays in America.”
While Uzzell progressed, his fellow international Charlie Ford didn’t as Adam Keogh pulled off one of the surprises over the Hotchkin Course. The local lad from nearby Boston beat the England international player by 3 and 2, then somewhat played down his success by saying: “Anyone can win a match over 18 holes.”
He certainly wasn’t favourite to win but after reaching the turn one up, he took a grip by winning the 11th with a par and the 15th with a conceded birdie. Then a half at the 16th saw Keogh home.
“I came here with no expectations so it was a nice result,” Keogh added to set up a second round meeting with Durham‘s Michael Curry, who beat Matthew Southgate from Essex on the final green.
"I lost the first hole to a par but managed to win four in a row from the seventh.” said Curry. However, he bogeyed the 13th while a Swan birdie at the next reduced the arrears. Then, when Curry failed to escape from sand at 17, it was all down to the par-5 last. There, Curry took the match with a conceded 4ft putt after Swan tangled with a bunker.
Another international to bite the dust was Dale Whitnell, beaten 2 and 1 by Neil Raymond from Hampshire, thereby extending the Essex man’s unhappy run. In recent weeks, Whitnell has won the Tillman Trophy, then was disqualified after the first round of the South of England stroke- play at Walton Heath.
The lead swapped over the front nine but the drama was saved to the last six holes. Raymond won the 13th to lead but lost his ball on the next. However, he won the 15th with a par and the 17th with a birdie 3 to close out the match.
“This win means a lot to me because I know what Dale has done and I knew I had to play well to win,” said Raymond.
Gary Wolstenholme, seeking his first English title, cruised through what could have been a tricky contest with Jack Bartlett from Sussex, winning 5 and 4. The 47-year-old international went ahead at the third then birdied the sixth and seventh to go three up before also winning the 10th.
Bartlett also lost the short 12th. A half in birdie-fours saw Wolstenholme home. “I’m pleased because the first round can always be a potential banana skin,” said Wolstenholme. “I would dearly move to win this after my father won it twice but there is a long way to go.”
He now faces a tough ask against Luke Goddard, who booked his second round spot with a two-hole victory over Aaron Hodkin from Yorkshire.
Goddard, coming off a fine victory in last week’s South of England stroke-play championship, was never behind. He was three up with three to play but a Goddard bogey at 16 followed by a Hodkin birdie saw them up the last where Goddard holed from 20 feet for a birdie.
The English Amateur Championship is sponsored by Your Golf Holidays.
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