CALLUM SHINKWIN HOLDS ON TO WIN SOUTH AMERICAN TITLE

England's Callum Shinkwin and Brooke Henderson, a 15-year-old Canadian, with the individual trophies at the conclusion of the South American amateur championships, supported by the R and A whose Director of Golf Development, Duncan Weir, is first left in the picture.

Callum Shinkwin won the South American men's amateur championship by a single stroke after leading by six with one round to play at El Rincon Golf Club, Bogota in Colombia.
Shinkwin (Moor Park GC, Hertfordshire) incurred a two-shot penalty during a final round of six-over-par 78 for five-over 293
 His final round was his highest of the week and included a two-stroke penalty for infringing one of the rules of the competition on the 13th green.  
The Englishman, who took the lead after the second day, racked up one double bogey, five bogeys and a solitary birdie in his last round.
"It was somewhat unexpected. I didn't think I would win this week as I didn't get a chance to practise on the first day and only got a feel for the course on the second day", commented Shinkwin, who was affected by a delay in arriving in Colombia at the beginning of the week.
Finland's Erik Myllymaki made up five shots over the last 18 holes iwth a 73 for 294.
Jason Shufflebotham (Wales) finished fifth on 299 and Jordan Smith (Bowood, Wiltshire).
The second English player in the field, Jordan Smith (Bowood, Wiltshire) slipped out of the top five with a final round of 79 for a share of eighth place on 301.  
Leading Scot was Michael Daily (Erskine) in 28th place on 309 with scores of 79, 76, 77 and 77.
Jamie Savage (Cawder) finished joint 35th with scores of 79, 79, 76 and 79 for 313.
Former Walker Cup player and resinstated amateur Graham Gordon (Newmachar) finished joint 40th on 315 with scores of 78, 83, 78 and 76.
Last of the four Scots was Fraser Moore Glenbervie who failed to break 80 in any of his rounds. He finished joint 62nd in the field of 77 with scores of 80, 83, 86 and 82 for 331. 

Switch over to www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk for the story and final totals in the women's championship.

SOUTH AMERICAN MEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
El Rincon Golf Club, Bogota, Colombia
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
293 Callum Shinkwin (England) 75 70 70 78
294 Erik Myllymaki (Finland) 75 73 73 73
296  Joaquin Lotas (Peru) 77 72 76 71
298 Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) 80 74 73 71
299 Jason Shufflebotham (Wales) 77 77 70 75.
300 Santiago Tobon (Colombia) 77 79 72 74

SELECTED TOTALS
301 Jordan Smith (England) 75 75 72 79, Pedal Wolgang (Peru) 73 76 73 79 (T8).
304 Brian Casey (Ireland) 76 77 75 76 (T11)
307 Geoff Lenehan (Ireland) 73 75 83 76 (23rd)
309 Michael Daily (Scotland) 79 76 77 77 (28th)
313 Jamie Savage (Scotland) 79 79 76 79 (T35)
315 Graham Gordon (Scotland) 78 83 78 76 (T40)
331 Fraser Moore (Scotland) 80 83 86 82 (T62)
Field of 77 players.

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NEWS RELEASE FROM ENGLAND GOLF
England international Callum Shinkwin overcame a delayed arrival in Colombia, a five month layoff, a penalty stroke and the recent loss of his grandfather to win the South American Amateur Championship.
A closing round of 78, including that penalty, saw the Moor Park, Hertfordshire, player finish on 293, five over par, for a single stroke victory over Erik Myllymaki of Finland at Bogota.
"This win was unexpected,” he said. “I never thought that I’d do well this week because I couldn’t get to grips with the course on the first day and only found the pace on the second,” added Shinkwin, after he and Jordan Smith had been delayed in arriving in the country at the beginning of the week.
After an opening 75, which left him three strokes off the pace, Shinkwin produced his best golf over the next 36 holes. A second round two-under-par 70 saw him two shots clear of the field, which he reproduced in round three to go into the final round with a healthy six-stroke lead.
He was clearly the man to beat but he found the closing day far from easy. His final round 78, his worst of the week, contained only one birdie, five bogeys and a double bogey.
Most of the dropped shots came from the tenth to 13th holes and culminated in the penalty incurred on 13 when he breached the rules of the competition by practising a putt. But a par on the 14th plus the lone birdie on 17 got him back on track and he held on to take the title.
"For me it is a very exciting victory”, he said. “I lost my grandfather recently while this is my first tournament of the year after five months without playing.
"Consistency was the key. On the first day I hit 14 fairways and finished three over. I made only six in round two and finished two under. It was a constant struggle but exciting," said Shinkwin, who has his sights set on Walker Cup selection this year.
The Finn, Myllymäki, finished with a third consecutive 73 for the runners- up spot on 294, two better than Peruvian Joaquin Lolas, who returned one of the two best scores of the final day of 71.
Smith, who was on the leaderboard for most of the week, finished equal seventh on 301 after a closing 79.