WOLSTENHOLME WINS PING/EGU ORDER OF MERIT
England Elite Squad member Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs
GC) is the PING English Golfer of the Year following an outstanding
season which saw him win the Amateur Championship for the
second time.
Gary won the PING/EGU Order of Merit scoring 964 points,
ahead of fellow Elite Squad members Richard Walker (Frodsham
GC - 522 points) in second place and Michael Skelton (Middlesbrough
GC - 476 points) in third place.
Commenting on his victory Wolstenholme said “It is
great to be named PING English Golfer of the year. I have
had a great season which has been a result of my hard work
and preparation through my training programme as part of the
EGU’s World Class Performance Programme.”
Victories in the Amateur Championship at Royal Troon and
the Scottish Stroke Play at Turnberry in June were the back
bone of Wolstenholme’s season coupled with winning the
EGU Midland Group qualifier at Gog Magog GC with a total of
129 and top 20 finishes in the West of England Championship
and the European Amateur Championship.
Commenting on Gary’s victory, EGU Performance Director
Nigel Furniss explained “Gary is not the longest of
hitters but his accuracy is a massive contributory factor
to his success. He hits 86% of fairways and 72% of greens
in regulation. I believe he is the most accurate driver of
the golf ball in the World.”
Walker finished runner up following his victory in the Portuguese
Amateur Championship earlier in the year and runner-up spot
to Wolstenholme in the Scottish Stroke Play. Walker Cup hero
Skelton finished in third place, just ahead of fellow club
mate Jon Lupton, following victory in the Welsh Open Stroke
Play and runner up spot in the English Amateur Championship.
Marketing Manager for PING Europe Dave Fanning said “We
are delighted with the way the Order of Merit has developed.
It has identified major events for English Amateur golfers
to compete in and we believe it will motivate players to improve
their performance”.
The final results from PING/EGU Order of Merit and player
statistics for 2003 can be viewed through the English Golf
Union website http://www.englishgolfunion.org/orderofmerit/
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