PAUL HOWARD WINS NEW SOUTH WALES 

MATCH-PLAY TITLE AT 37th HOLE

Paul Howard (Southport and Ainsdale), winner of the South American amateur championship 13 months ago, has added another overseas title to his growing collection.

The Lancashire man won at the 37th hole in the two-round final against Australia's 18-year-ld David Micheluzzi.
Howard, pictured, was the No 2 seed, Micheluzzi, the 28th qualifier.

Paul finished T3 in last summer's St Andrews Links Trophy championship, only a shot behind the play-off participants.

The all-South Korean women's NSW final was won by Eun-Bin Lim who won by 2 and 1 over compatriot Eun Jeong Seong.

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England international Paul Howard produced a dramatic finish to win the New South Wales Amateur Championship in Australia on the 37th hole. The 24-year old trailed his Australian opponent over the closing holes at Avondale Golf Club but a crucial birdie, when he drove the green on the par-4 35th,  got him back on level terms. The 36th was halved in par before Howard clinched the win with a par on the 37th, after his opponent flew the green with his approach. “It was a golf grinder, a close match without many bogeys,” he said. “The turning point was driving the green on the 17th (the 35th hole of the match) to win the hole.” Howard, a member at Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club, Lancashire, adds this title to the South American Championship, which he won in 2014. His success provides a triumphant end to a five-week tour of Australia by a trio of England Golf players and he remarked: “It was nice to get a win after playing so well for the trip. Now, I’m looking forward to Spain and the European Nations Cup.” Howard, who was the number two seed, had a fight on his hands throughout the final. His 18-year-old opponent David Micheluzzi made a fast start and was two under after two – and two up. Howard’s own birdie on the fourth narrowed the gap and he was back on level terms after six holes. A further birdie on the ninth put him one up and he held that slender advantage until he conceded the 16th and then lost the 18th, to reach the halfway stage at one down. He was only to get ahead in the match once more – when he lifted the trophy on the 37th. Micheluzzi again set off in blistering style with birdies on 19 and 20 to get to three up. Howard answered with his own birdie on the 21st but, with seven holes to play, he was still trailing by two.  He won the 30th and 31st holes to square matters, but lost the next to a birdie to again fall behind. However, he made his vital move with his 35th hole birdie and before long had the trophy in his hands. The other members of the England Golf squad were English champion Nick Marsh (Huddersfield) and Brabazon Trophy winner Ben Stow (Rushmore).  Both qualified for the New South Wales match-play championship – but Marsh had the misfortune to meet Howard in the first round and Stow lost in the second. Earlier in the trip, Howard claimed fifth place in the Australian Master of the Amateurs at Royal Melbourne, signing off with a fourth round 66, which included six birdies on the back nine. Nick Marsh became the Australian Amateur Championship medallist (stroke-play leader)  at eight under par in the qualifying and all three reached the match-play stages.  Ben Stow also secured a top ten finish in the Lake Macquarie Amateur, finishing with a pair of 68s. All three will represent England Golf in the European Nations Cup in Spain, from 18-25 February, alongside double European champion Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park). Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193 Web: www.englandgolf.org Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/EnglandGolf Facebook: www.facebook.com/EnglandGolf