JORDAN SMITH WINS BRABAZON TROPHY
disappointment of not being selected by England for the
forthcoming European Team Championships by lifting the Brabazon Trophy
in splendid fashion as calm conditions returned to Formby.
After
a testing week of rain and wind, Smith carded a closing round of 70 for
286, two under par, and a four shot winning margin over playing partner
Brian Casey from Ireland, who returned 74.
Smith
led almost from start to finish and his calm, laid-back approach was
just what was needed in a week when the elements did everything it could
to make things difficult for everyone.
But
the victory tasted sweet for the 20 year old from Wiltshire. “This is
great for my career,” he said. “I was disappointed not to make the team
for the Europeans but I suppose it was a difficult choice. I think not
being picked urged me on to prove a point.
“I
suppose I’ve stopped Neil (Raymond) completing the triple but I’m sure
he’ll understand. I think he was left out when he won the Brabazon last
year.”
Smith
(copyright Leaderboard Photography) began the final round tied with
playing partner Casey on level par but the England man was soon forging
ahead with three birdies in the opening five holes.
“I
made a nervy start, putting my tee shot into the trees but I managed to
scramble a par and then got off to a flier with a couple of birdies. I
was three under through five holes and settled down.”
He
dropped shots at the seventh and ninth, the latter when he airmailed
the green into knee-high rough. “I had 205 yards and hit a four iron and
couldn’t believe it when it finished over the green."
But he reduced the damage to one shot to be out in 36 while another birdie at the long 17th confirmed his success.
Casey
managed to stay in touch with Smith over the front nine but he came to
grief on the homeward stretch, dropping shots at the 12th and 14th
before his chance finally eluded his grasp at the 400 yard 15th where he
found punishing rough, failed to get out first time, and took a double
bogey six.
With
so many players in with a shout at the start it was difficult to pick a
winner. But several made a brave bid, none more so than fellow
international Ben Taylor. The man from Walton Heath produced the best
round of the week with a five-birdie 68, which hauled him up to joint
third on 291.
On
the same mark were Nathan Kimsey and, Alfie Plant and Jimmy Mullen,
whose 71 included a hole-in-one at the 139-yard 16th where he fired an
eight iron that never left the flag. “It was my first ‘ace’ in
competition but I’d had one before when I was in Australia,” said the
young man from Devon.
But
the man of the week was Smith and he deserved his success which is
bound to lead to greater things. “I played well in the English Amateur
last year before getting beaten by the winner Harry Ellis,” Smith
added. “But that started my career with England and I got picked for the Home Internationals.”
Who knows where this latest triumph will take Smith but he has added his name to the championship’s impressive Roll of Honour.
The
Henriques Salver for the best score by a player aged under 20 from
Britain and Ireland went to Max Orrin while Ryan Evans won the Scrutton
Jug for the lowest aggregate from the Brabazon and Berkshire Trophies.Full results can be found on the Brabazon Trophy webpage. |
Labels: Amateur Men
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