CONSOLATION AS CRYER WINS BRITISH MID-AMATEUR
 Matt
Cryer (pictured left - photo courtesy of Tom Ward) gained
consolation for his defeat in the final of the English Amateur
two weeks ago by winning the British Mid-Amateur Championship
at Alwoodley in Leeds.
The 32 year old England international, who is based at Coventry
Golf Club, beat American Paul Simson, the 2006 British Seniors
champion, 5 and 4 in the final.
Cryer reproduced the faultless golf he’d displayed
all week and he was three under par when the contest concluded
on the 14th green.
“I’m absolutely delighted to have won after the
disappointment of losing in the English Amateur final,”
he said. “My game’s just got better and better
all week. I’ve driven it really nicely and putted really
well. This my best win so far without a doubt,” said
the Coventry and Warwickshire player, who is in the England
team for the Home Internationals at Co Louth in September.
“The quality of some of the containing golf I’ve
had to play against such good opposition this week has really
stretched me, which is great for my game. I just hope I can
carry it through this next week,” said Cryer, who flew
to Berlin yesterday to compete in the European Amateur, in
which he finished runner-up in Belgium two years ago.
Cryer went ahead on the second with a six foot birdie putt
and extended his lead on the long third with another birdie.
Simson conceded the short seventh when he failed to get down
in par with Cryer just eight feet away.
Cryer also won the long eighth against the odds. He drove
into heather and could only hack out. Simson had hit a great
drive, but pushed his three-wood second into a bunker short
right of the green, while Cryer hit his third pin high right.
Simson splashed out short of the green and pitched to five
feet but missed. Cryer pitched stone dead to win the hole
with a par and go four-up.
Simson hit back briefly at the short ninth, holing a monster
birdie putt, but he lost the short 11th to go back to four
down when he took three from the front of the green.
Needing to win holes, the 56-year-old insurance executive
from North Carolina was perhaps running out of steam after
an arduous week and although he only had short irons into
the greens of the 12th and 13th he couldn’t get them
close enough for birdies. When he took three from the front
of the green on the 206-yard par three 14th and Cryer got
a regulation par it was all over.
“He played some fantastic golf,” said Simson.
“I just couldn’t do anything about it, but I think
I’ll be invited back next year.”
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