SEEDS CRASH OUT AS THE RAIN LASHES BROMBOROUGH
Persistent rain, often heavy, made conditions tough at Bromborough
for the last 32 competitors on day four of the English Amateur
Championship and it proved a slippery slope for several seeds.
Steven Tiley and Gary Wolstenholme made hasty exits in the
morning’s third round while Ross McGowan provided the
great escape to reach the last 16.
Tiley, who had not gone beyond the 13th green in his previous
three rounds, struggled in the rain and crashed out 4 and
3 to fellow Kent man Michael Hart. Hart, 22, the Sundridge
Park club champion, was level par at the finish, which underlined
how difficult conditions were in the rain.
“It was tough out there but I played pretty nicely,”
said Hart. “I didn’t feel under any pressure facing
an international. You just have to believe in yourself.”
Tiley concurred, saying: “He played well but I didn’t.
At college in America I’m not used to these conditions,
but anyone can win out there.”
The English title continues to elude Wolstenholme. The Walker
Cup man met 17 year old David Corsby, 27 years his junior,
and went down 3 and 2.
Corsby, from Blackpool, was two up after eight holes and
although Wolstenholme closed the gap he never managed to get
on terms and when he blocked his second shot to the 14th to
go back to two down it was the beginning of the end. At the
short 16th, Wolstenholme found a greenside trap and when he
failed to get up-and-down Corsby was home but not quite dry.
“I knew I could win,” said Corsby. “This
is my biggest scalp so far.”
McGowan trailed three down after five holes against Essex-based
Ross Wilson and was still two behind with five to play. But
he managed to turn the tie around by winning the next four
holes, only one with a birdie. “You could call it a
great escape and hopefully I won’t put myself in the
same position again,” said McGowan.
Adam Gee - “I played rubbish” - and Lawrence
Dodd were two more seeds to head for home in a morning of
shocks, but Paul Waring survived, much to the delight of the
host club where he is a member.
After his one hole victory over Thomas Pulling, Waring was
hoping to play another Bromborough member, Alex Evans. But
he went out to James Taverner, from Middlesex. Waring then
restored the balance by dismissing Taverner 3 and 2 and said:
“I started the week badly but I’m playing better
with each round. I’m not driving the ball but the short
game is looking after the rest.”
Another local hope is Steve Capper from nearby Caldy. After
a morning two hole victory over Surrey’s Chris Harmston,
he reached the quarter finals at the expense of fellow boy
international Seve Benson by 4 and 3.
Of the other surviving seeds, 16 year old Oliver Fisher continued
his winning ways as did Matt Cryer, but James Ruth is heading
back to Devon after losing a see-saw tussle with Gary Boyd
from Northampton on the final green.
Revenge is sweet but it didn’t come any sweeter for
James Morrison. The 20 year old from Weybridge wore a big
smile after his 7 and 6 demolition of close friend Farren
Keenan. The pair had met in the Surrey final which Keenan
won so as Morrison booked his place in the last eight he said:
“I’m delighted to get my own back.”
Morrison now meets McGowan in another all-Surrey tie while
Waring tackles former Durham boy cahmpion Ryan Riley. In the
other half of the draw, boys caps Capper and Boyd meet, while
the seeded Fisher and Cryer will provide an intriguing match.
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