Would you Adam and Eve it? Frontal is English

county champion at third extra hole

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A 25ft birdie putt on the third extra hole steered Adam Frontal to victory in the English County Champions Tournament after a dramatic three-way playoff over the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa.
The Yorkshire champion had finished in a tie on 143, three under par, with James Crampton from Lincolnshire and BB and O’s Tyrrell Hatton.

Crampton and Frontal both birdied the first playoff hole to eliminate Hatton, who took par, then they both missed chances at the second, the long 18th, having to settle for a half in pars. But when the pair returned to the neighbouring first for the second time, Frontal again conjured up a birdie 3 which Crampton failed to match.

“This is unbelievable,” said 37-year-old Frontal. “I didn’t expect this for a minute. In a field with several internationals you don’t expect to be in the frame, after all, these are full-timers and I work for a living. But I’m very pleased to win. You don’t expect it at my age, but I wanted to do Yorkshire proud and not let the county down.”

When he had finished his second round and signed for a three-under-par 70, Frontal was eager to make a hasty retreat and get back to his base at Cookridge Hall, where he is the guv’ner.

“I’d heard that James was four or five under and expected him to birdie the 18th,” confirmed Frontal. “But when he didn’t I felt I’d better hold on”.

In fact, midway through the afternoon it seemed that the title lay with Hatton. The teenager got to six under but a run of three successive bogeys from the 11th saw his advantage disappear. Likewise, he missed a short birdie putt at the last that would have got him to four under for the tournament saw him return a level-par 73.

That left the spotlight on Crampton, who stood at four under through the turn but he failed to improve on that. Chances were spurned in a run of eight pars yet he was still in the box seat until he flew the green at 18 and took four more to get down for a bogey-six and 71. It still looked to be the Lincolnshire man’s title when he drained a 30-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole, but Frontal followed him in from closer range.

“I fancied my putt until James holed his then all of a sudden the hole shrank to half its size,” said Frontal. “I had no choice but to go for it”.

“When we returned to the first for the second time the putt felt good as it came off the club. All day I was striking the putts firm so that they didn’t move much and it paid off. Now I’m going back to my day job.”