It’s Long v Thurloway for English title
The final of the English men’s amateur
championship will see Gloucestershire’s Joe
Long go head to head with Tom Thurloway of
Sussex.
The 36-hole final, on Formby Golf Club’s superb links, should be spectacular if Saturday’s quarter and semi-finals are any guide.
Thurloway (pictured top), from Chartham Park, was seven-under par this morning in a stunning quarter final. His opponent, Surrey’s Angus Flanagan, was also on top form and was five-under and bogey free when he lost 2/1.
While this afternoon’s semi-final against Jamie Li (Bath) was less showy on the scoring front, it was very solid. The pair halved the first six holes before Thurloway got ahead with a birdie on seven.
After the turn he pushed ahead to four-up before his progress was paused when he lost the 14th to a birdie three. But two holes, halved in steady pars, brought him his 3/2 win and a place in the final.
Thurloway, who is at university in the USA, brings good form into this championship, having just won the Walton Heath Trophy, scoring nine-under par in sweltering temperatures.
“It was a good confidence booster,” he said. “This is the biggest final I have been in and I’m really looking forward to it and to playing round this great golf course another two times."
Joe Long, pictured left, (Lansdown) ended the championship hopes of Brabazon Trophy winner Nick Poppleton in this morning’s quarters, signing off with a 14th hole birdie to win 5/4.
This afternoon, he had to go to the 19th to win through to the final, after a battle with Callum Farr (Northamptonshire County).
After a long series of halved holes, Long had worked his way to a 2up lead after 15 holes, only to see it disappear. On the 16th, he lost the hole after his approach spun back into a greenside bunker; on the 18th he could only watch as Farr played a magical pitch into the final green which finished stone dead for a winning birdie. Off they went into extra time but Farr was put on the back foot after finding a greenside bunker and Long’s steady play won through.
“I just stuck to my game plan,” said Long, as he described his reaction to having to play the 19th. “You feel the nerves a little bit, but I just stuck to my process.”
He, too, is in good form having been fourth in the Dutch U21 championship, and excited about the tomorrow’s prospects. “It’s going to be a great experience, it’s all new to me but it’s all part of learning.
“I feel I’m in a really good mental head space at the minute. I’m pretty calm and able to stay in the present, no matter what is thrown at me.”
The 36-hole final starts at 8.30am on Sunday
Click here for full scores.
Images copyright Leaderboard Photography.
The final of the English men’s amateur
championship will see Gloucestershire’s Joe
Long go head to head with Tom Thurloway of
Sussex.
The 36-hole final, on Formby Golf Club’s superb links, should be spectacular if Saturday’s quarter and semi-finals are any guide.
Thurloway (pictured top), from Chartham Park, was seven-under par this morning in a stunning quarter final. His opponent, Surrey’s Angus Flanagan, was also on top form and was five-under and bogey free when he lost 2/1.
While this afternoon’s semi-final against Jamie Li (Bath) was less showy on the scoring front, it was very solid. The pair halved the first six holes before Thurloway got ahead with a birdie on seven.
After the turn he pushed ahead to four-up before his progress was paused when he lost the 14th to a birdie three. But two holes, halved in steady pars, brought him his 3/2 win and a place in the final.
Thurloway, who is at university in the USA, brings good form into this championship, having just won the Walton Heath Trophy, scoring nine-under par in sweltering temperatures.
“It was a good confidence booster,” he said. “This is the biggest final I have been in and I’m really looking forward to it and to playing round this great golf course another two times."
Joe Long, pictured left, (Lansdown) ended the championship hopes of Brabazon Trophy winner Nick Poppleton in this morning’s quarters, signing off with a 14th hole birdie to win 5/4.
This afternoon, he had to go to the 19th to win through to the final, after a battle with Callum Farr (Northamptonshire County).
After a long series of halved holes, Long had worked his way to a 2up lead after 15 holes, only to see it disappear. On the 16th, he lost the hole after his approach spun back into a greenside bunker; on the 18th he could only watch as Farr played a magical pitch into the final green which finished stone dead for a winning birdie. Off they went into extra time but Farr was put on the back foot after finding a greenside bunker and Long’s steady play won through.
“I just stuck to my game plan,” said Long, as he described his reaction to having to play the 19th. “You feel the nerves a little bit, but I just stuck to my process.”
He, too, is in good form having been fourth in the Dutch U21 championship, and excited about the tomorrow’s prospects. “It’s going to be a great experience, it’s all new to me but it’s all part of learning.
“I feel I’m in a really good mental head space at the minute. I’m pretty calm and able to stay in the present, no matter what is thrown at me.”
The 36-hole final starts at 8.30am on Sunday
Click here for full scores.
Images copyright Leaderboard Photography.
Labels: Amateur Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, August 05, 2018
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