Bolton Old Links’ Jack Bryan focussed on improving his short game in the winter and that certainly paid off at Chorley yesterday where the 20-year-old won the inaugural Jacklin Trophy by one shot.
FORMAT 36-hole stroke play
The Lancashire course’s small greens and punishing rough put a premium on accuracy and Bryan managed to “keep it in play” and also a holed a healthy number of “six footers for par” to keep his rounds going.
The 190-yard par three third went unbirdied all day and its emphasis on accuracy typified the challenge the 64-strong field faced.
Scores of 74 and 70 (-1) meant Bryan finished one ahead of Bolton’s Matthew Lever, who set a new course record in the afternoon. The Aussie struggled before lunch (80) but hit back in style, registering seven birdies in a stunning 65. Along with the champion he was the only other player to break par on the day.
Bryan, winner at Wilpshire last year, said: “Throughout winter I have been practising my short game and putting. My long game has always been ok. Just a couple of lessons here and it has been paying off so far.”
The best round in the morning (72) came from new overall Order of Merit leader Chris Parkinson (Penwortham), his Lancashire team-mate Andrew Haswell (Ormskirk) and Lymm’s Jack Woodward.
A host of others were close up behind, including Bryan, who went bogey-free for the first 11 holes in the afternoon while also birdieing the par five second and the fourth.
His first aberation came at the 12th but he then birdied 14th and then dropped a shot at the par three 16th.
Chorley’s Joel Berry finished third as he mounted a back nine charge, coming home in 33 to finish a shot ahead of club-mates Chris Storey and Neil McQueen.