The inaugural Lathom Eagle got the winner many expected and wanted as Apeiron Order of Merit leader Andrew Haswell took it by two shots on home turf.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play
The Ormskirk member might be struggling with a few swing issues but he still had enough to get the job done. Rounds of 70 and 69 secured him his third Northern Order of Merit victory of the season and his advantage at the top is now 42 points.
The 19-year-old once again ground his way to success after battling with a shank and pulling one too many drives left.
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His course knowledge and class told though while his good friend Kieran McCarthy (Dean Wood) finished second ahead of Disley’s Lucas Kuiper, who came home in 30 to pinch third on countaback from Styal’s Ryan Owen.
“It’s been good,” said the recent Frank Stableford Trophy (Wallasey) and S&A Bowl (Southport & Ainsdale) winner.
“I’ve not been playing my best stuff but it was a proud moment to win the first Lathom Eagle. There was a bit of pressure on me with it being my home course.”
Swing issues forced the Lancashire player to “slow down the swing and club up”.
But he had enough in the tank after an opening 70 left him one back of George Holland (Southport & Ainsdale), Tom Hughes (Formby) and Luke Yardley (Stockport) at halfway.
An excellent front nine in the afternoon round – he was two under going out and that included an excellent birdie on the long par four seventh – got him in the mix and he maintained the momentum around the turn after getting up and down for a par on the 10th.
Haswell then rounded things off in style. After snap-hooking his tee shot on 17 – that lead to a second bogey of the round – he responded brilliantly, flushing his approach into the last. With a large crowd gathered, he followed it up in ideal fashion, holing out from 15 feet to get the job done and get under par for his round.
And playing in the penultimate group, he did not have to wait long to confirm his sixth Northern Order of Merit victory in two years.