It’s been a quite a year for amateur golf in Great Britain and we asked some our leading players what were their stand-out moments and also asked them to look ahead to 2022
‘The second being a seven-foot putt. It doesn’t sound that special but it meant a lot though’
1) Your best round of the year and why?
Coincidentally my best round of the year, and in fact my life, came in my very first round for the St Andrews Uni Team. This September the first R&A Student Tour event was staged at the Torrance course at Fairmont St Andrews, where the Hero Open was this year on the European Tour. Although it was the best day ever for scoring (there hasn’t been many similar since getting up to Scotland!). I shot a nine under 63 to take a three-shot lead into the second round. It was one of those rounds I suppose… everything, that could have gone either way, went in my favour. I missed two greens, lipping out on one chip and then chipped in on the last! Shame I didn’t carry on the good play… shooting 75/72 to finish sixth!
2) Your best shot of the year and why?
Think this is a toss up between two. The more dramatic one being holing out for eagle on the third hole of the final round in the Durham County Strokeplay Championship. After an awful third round, and slipping to three off the lead, to get to three under through three in the final round, mainly due to this hole out, was what really sparked my round and helped me ultimately crawl to victory. The second being a seven-foot putt. It doesn’t sound that special but it meant a lot though. It was to make the cut at the English Amateur at Moortown. I played the front nine amazingly, despite the horrendous weather, and was comfortably within the cut line. I then got onto a major bogey train on the back nine. I think I bogeyed five out of six, and all of a sudden, saw myself missing out on the matchplay stages. I bogeyed 17, and needed a par down the tough last hole to make it. I hit a great drive and then near-enough shanked my second into a greenside trap. I splashed out to seven feet – I was above the hole and it had a lot of break – and I loved holing that putt!
3) The best shot you saw and why?
Tough one this. One that has stuck out to me in particular was at Open Qualifying playing with Richard Finch, who won twice on tour. He had a near impossible lob over a bunker to a tight pin, off the barest lie you’ve ever seen. He stiffed it. The most impressive thing was how nonchalant he made it look!
4) Your favourite moment of 2021 (this could be personal or something completely random but golf related)?
I loved winning the Durham County Champs, loved playing in the St Andrews Links Trophy and loved meeting all my teammates up here at uni. It’s been a pretty fun season with regards to golf!
5) Your hopes and ambitions for 2022?
To keep grinding on my game. My favourite thing about golf is seeing all of the work and hard time you’ve put in pay off on the course. Would also love to work towards a being in the picture for selection for the England Men’s Team. That would be amazing!
6) One thing you would change about about golf for next season?
Hopefully next season will be a little less busy and full on. One of the main challenges with this last season was how bunched up the calendar was. Fingers crossed I’ll have more time to breathe next year!!