Paul Shields and James Ross come
through Brabazon qualifier
Paul Shields (Kirkhill) and James Ross (Royal Burgess) came through the Northern qualifier at Huddersfield Golf Club this week for the English amateur stroke-play championship for the Brabazon Trophy, to be played at Royal Liverpooll GC, Hoylake from June 24 to 27.
This is the first year that Northern and Southern qualifiers have been held.
Shields, pictured in action at Huddersfield by Tom Ward Photography, had a very good round of 67 to qualify in joint fifth place behind leader Matthew Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire) with a 65.
Ross qualified in joint 13th place with a 71.
In all, 120 players took part in the Northern qualifier and there was a play-off between the 12 players on the 73 mark for the last five places.
RECORD 65 BY MATTHEW FITZPATRICK (15) AT HUDDERSFIELD
NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Matthew Fitzpatrick cashed in on an earlier visit to Huddersfield to card a course record six-under-par 65 and top the leaderboard in th e Brabazon Trophy Northern Qualifier supported by Skycaddie.
In perfect conditions, the 15 year old from Sheffield finished a shot ahead of another Yorkshire-based player Wayne Crick and Cheshire pair Michael Bedford and Ian Winstanley.
Earlier this month Fitzpatrick made his first team league debut for Yorkshire in their Roses battle with Lancashire, winning both his matches, a crucial factor as he ran in seven birdies along with just one dropped shot.
“I didn’t expect to shoot 65 but playing here in the Northern League match helped a lot,” he said. “I came here to play relaxed golf and to see how things went. And they went pretty well.”
Fitzpatrick, a member of the England Under 16 Squad, can now look forward to displaying his undoubted skills at Hoylake next month in the championship proper when local knowledge might not come to his aid.
“I’ve never played Hoylake,” Fitzpatrick confirmed. “I went there during the 2006 Open Championship but I’m looking forward to it.”
However, he will have to put that to the back of his mind as he returned home for a spot of revision for a biology exam on Friday.
But for Fitzpatrick’s superb effort, Crick, Bedford and Winstanley would be sharing the course record on 66. Crick, a night worker with Sainsburys in Harrogate, was out at 7.10am and posted his score before most had even got to the practice ground.
The 38 year old Scot admitted he had struggled with his game this year until he cured his driving problems and signed for his best ever score in a major competition.
“I got my handicap down to scratch last year so I thought I’d enter the qualifying and see what happened,” he said. “I’m always threatening to shoot low if my driving is good. I’ve just been waiting for it all to come together and it did today.”
Crick led for a couple of hours before Bedford, 17 years his junior, posted his own 66 containing seven birdies and a double-bogey. “I played solidly but it could have been much better without that double bogey at the 13th,” he said.
Bedford, the reigning Cheshire champion, arrived at Huddersfield in good form. Having topped the Northern Order of Merit last year, he made the cut in Portugal and the Lytham Trophy and won both his matches for Cheshire in their recent league clash with Cumbria.
Now he will tackle Hoylake, a course he knows well. “I really like Hoylake. We play there a lot and I can’t wait to play in the Brabazon there.”
Winstanley, 22, graduated from Leeds University last summer and is now playing full-time golf. “I’ve had a few top tens this year and I had seven birdies today,” he said. His 66 not only ensured his qualification but was good preparation for the forthcoming World Student Games in Malaga where he will be part of the British team.
Richard Prophet, a member of the England Under 21 Squad two years ago, finished fourth on 67, finishing with an eagle-three at the 18th where he fired an eight-iron to 15 feet and sank the putt.
“I’ve been playing well but putting poorly,” he said. “But I changed my putter last week after missing the cut in the Lytham Trophy and the Irish Amateur and it’s working well. I’m looking forward to Hoylake because I prefer links golf.”
With 41 places available, a total of 36 players on 72 or better qualified which left 12 on 73 to play off for the remaining five places. The successful quintet were Paul Lockwood (Hessle), Richard Law (Low Laithes), Stephen Creed (Maxstoke Park), Robert Sutton (Dunstable Downs), and Callum Tarren (Dinsdale Spa).
In perfect conditions, the 15 year old from Sheffield finished a shot ahead of another Yorkshire-based player Wayne Crick and Cheshire pair Michael Bedford and Ian Winstanley.
Earlier this month Fitzpatrick made his first team league debut for Yorkshire in their Roses battle with Lancashire, winning both his matches, a crucial factor as he ran in seven birdies along with just one dropped shot.
“I didn’t expect to shoot 65 but playing here in the Northern League match helped a lot,” he said. “I came here to play relaxed golf and to see how things went. And they went pretty well.”
Fitzpatrick, a member of the England Under 16 Squad, can now look forward to displaying his undoubted skills at Hoylake next month in the championship proper when local knowledge might not come to his aid.
“I’ve never played Hoylake,” Fitzpatrick confirmed. “I went there during the 2006 Open Championship but I’m looking forward to it.”
However, he will have to put that to the back of his mind as he returned home for a spot of revision for a biology exam on Friday.
But for Fitzpatrick’s superb effort, Crick, Bedford and Winstanley would be sharing the course record on 66. Crick, a night worker with Sainsburys in Harrogate, was out at 7.10am and posted his score before most had even got to the practice ground.
The 38 year old Scot admitted he had struggled with his game this year until he cured his driving problems and signed for his best ever score in a major competition.
“I got my handicap down to scratch last year so I thought I’d enter the qualifying and see what happened,” he said. “I’m always threatening to shoot low if my driving is good. I’ve just been waiting for it all to come together and it did today.”
Crick led for a couple of hours before Bedford, 17 years his junior, posted his own 66 containing seven birdies and a double-bogey. “I played solidly but it could have been much better without that double bogey at the 13th,” he said.
Bedford, the reigning Cheshire champion, arrived at Huddersfield in good form. Having topped the Northern Order of Merit last year, he made the cut in Portugal and the Lytham Trophy and won both his matches for Cheshire in their recent league clash with Cumbria.
Now he will tackle Hoylake, a course he knows well. “I really like Hoylake. We play there a lot and I can’t wait to play in the Brabazon there.”
Winstanley, 22, graduated from Leeds University last summer and is now playing full-time golf. “I’ve had a few top tens this year and I had seven birdies today,” he said. His 66 not only ensured his qualification but was good preparation for the forthcoming World Student Games in Malaga where he will be part of the British team.
Richard Prophet, a member of the England Under 21 Squad two years ago, finished fourth on 67, finishing with an eagle-three at the 18th where he fired an eight-iron to 15 feet and sank the putt.
“I’ve been playing well but putting poorly,” he said. “But I changed my putter last week after missing the cut in the Lytham Trophy and the Irish Amateur and it’s working well. I’m looking forward to Hoylake because I prefer links golf.”
With 41 places available, a total of 36 players on 72 or better qualified which left 12 on 73 to play off for the remaining five places. The successful quintet were Paul Lockwood (Hessle), Richard Law (Low Laithes), Stephen Creed (Maxstoke Park), Robert Sutton (Dunstable Downs), and Callum Tarren (Dinsdale Spa).
Labels: Amateur Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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