RYAN EVANS WINS 72-HOLE AMATEUR TOURNEY DOWN UNDER

England’s Ryan Evans “ripped it” with a final round 66 to come from six shots back and snatch a one-stroke win in the Avondale Amateur Medal in New South Wales, Australia. The victory, on 11-under par, sealed a superb tour Down Under for Evans who, two weeks ago, also won the prestigious Lake Macquarie International at Belmont in New South Wales. His play during the five-week tour of Australia has taken him up to eighth in the world amateur rankings - and that’s before his latest triumph is taken into account. Evans, an England international from Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, was well placed at the halfway stage of the Avondale Medal. He had blitzed the course with a seven-under 64 in the second round – the best score of the tournament – and, adding it to his opening 68, was just two shots off the lead set by Australia’s Harrison Endycott.But in the third round Evans slipped back with a score of 75, which he was later to describe as “terrible” on Twitter.  Endycott went round in level par and held a six-shot lead going into the final round. Undaunted, Evans played the final round in five-under 66, telling his Twitter followers: “I ripped it this afternoon.”  Meanwhile, the leader faltered with a two-over 73 and the Englishman grabbed the title. There was more good news for England when Harry Casey, from Enfield in Middlesex, swept up the leaderboard into a share of third place. He was three-over and lying 27th after two rounds but completed the tournament with scores of 66, 67 to finish on six-under par. Both Casey and Evans were members of England’s winning team at the 2013 Home internationals. The last English winner of the Avondale Medal was Matthew Cryer of Coventry, who was successful in 2008, when the event was played over 36 holes. Click here for the final scores Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf