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Joe Dean wins English amateur crown
Yorkshire’s
Joe Dean almost holed in one to seal a resounding 9/7 victory in the
English amateur championship at The Alwoodley Golf Club, Leeds.
His
seven-iron shot to the 29th hole – the par three 11th - pitched just
past the hole, spun back, went into the cup and flipped out again,
settling a couple of inches away, to much applause from spectators.
His
opponent, Alfie Plant of Kent, hit his tee shot but, once the players
reached the green, he conceded the hole and the match. “I won the first
match of the week with an eagle and I nearly finished it off with an
eagle!” said Dean.
It
provided a fitting end to an impressive display by the 21-year-old from
Lindrick, who was four up after this morning’s round in the 36-hole
final.
He played the 29 holes of the match in four-under par, despite
steady rain this afternoon – and a torrential downpour as the match drew
to its close.
The
players were able to complete the 28th hole – which Dean won after
Plant’s tee shot went out of bounds – but course manager Philip Taylor
had to squeegee the 29th green before they could play to it.
His
win – on Yorkshire Day - marks a resounding return to form for Dean, a
member of the England Golf men's squad. “I’ve struggled through the
start of the year and felt frustrated, so this means everything to me,”
he said.
He
has played extremely good golf throughout the match play rounds, capped
by today’s performance. “I have played unbelievable golf today,” he
said, noting that he hadn’t felt under pressure, even as he played the
last few holes.
“I
worked out a pre-shot routine with Graham Walker (the England coach), I
picked the shots I wanted to play, tried hitting them and it all came
together. It feels as if everything has finally paid off.”
Dean
laid the foundations of his win this morning, when he was four up after
the first 18 holes. He played steadily and, on the occasions when he
did find trouble, he was generally able to extricate himself. Plant,
from Sundridge Park in Kent, had contrasting fortunes and when he found
trouble, too often it proved costly
This
afternoon Dean set off at a great pace, winning the 19th and 20th with
birdies. He was temporarily paused on the 21st, which the players halved
in birdie, but won the next to get to seven up.
He
dropped his only shot of the afternoon round on the 24th to lose the
hole, but came straight back with a birdie two on the 25th. His wins on
the 28th and 29th secured the title, to the delight of his family and
supporters from Hillsborough Golf Club where he plays most of his golf.
Dean
is hoping for a special bonus from his win. For the last two years he
has won the Lee Westwood Trophy at Rotherham Golf Club and he joked:
“Hopefully now everyone will stop calling me a one-course player!”
His next date is to represent Yorkshire in next week’s qualifying event for County Finals.
Click here for the championship webpage
Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193 |
Labels: Amateur Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, August 01, 2015
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