European Golf Association Seniors debut to remember for England Golf Director of Championships
It was quite a seniors debut from Spalding’s James Crampton with the recently-turned 50-year-old coming out on top in the European Championship in Estonia.
FORMAT: 54-hole stroke play
A quirk of the system means England Golf’s Director of Championships, who reached the half century in April, can play senior amateur events in Europe but in GB he will have to wait until he is 55. For pro events it is also 50 and his next major quest is qualfying for the British Seniors Open at Gleneagles next month.
A number of Scottish courses are hosting qualifiers on Monday, July 18th and in five weeks he will travel north buoyed by his three-shot victory at Parnu Bay Golf Club.
“It was a pleasant surprise,” admitted Crampton, who was part of the Spalding team that won the English Club Championship for the first time last September.
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“Not knowing where I was from a competitive point of view, it was nice to play against players who were older than me after 20 years competing against those who were younger.
“The mental side of the game was a challenge and trying to just hit one shot at a time and I did quite well in the circumstances.”
The Lincolnshire player, who represented England in the Home Internationals in 2005, the year he finished runner-up to Lloyd Saltman in the Brabazon, started the final round three ahead of 2021 English Seniors champion Rupert Kellock but it was their playing partner Mattias Pernheden who emerged as Crampton’s main challenger on the final day.
The Swede, who began the third round five back of the leader, birdied three of the first four holes and after Crampton bogeyed five was just two back.
However Pernhedsen had a quadruple bogey eight on the ninth while Kellock had five bogeys in six holes around the turn to give the leader plenty of breathing space.
But Crampton had his own ‘disaster’ at the par three 14th when his tee shot hit a tree and ricocheted ito a water hazard before a poor chip meant he didn’t find the putting surface in three, eventually two putting for a six.
“I felt pretty calm in the final round,” added Crampton.
“And even after 14 I handled myself well and hit some good shots afterwards. I was pleased with how I responded to all of that.”
Pernhedsen birdied 14 to cut the gap at the top to three shots and both title challengers birdied 15, Crampton sinking a ten-footer.
The Spalding stalwart almost birdied the next, leaving his putt in the jaws while the Swede’s bogey at 16 gave him considerabsle breathing space.
There was potential for some more drama at the par five 18th with water all down the right and trees up the left. Crampton went left with his tee shot and had to chip out. He then left himself with a wedge in for his fourth, finding the short stuff and then two putting for a closing 75 and a one under par overall score.
EGA: Saturday, June 11th
FORMAT: 54-hole stroke play