An incredible birdie-birdie-birdie finish secured Jo Hacker a history-making Hampshire County Championship at North Hants.
The 21-year-old, who is at college in Florida, came from one down with three to play in the most remarkable circumstances. With the match all square, at the 18th the La Moye player found rough down the left and with the pin tight behind the bunker on the front left of the green, he faced a horrible shot with 170 yards left.
However he reckoned on getting a flier and got just that with his 9 iron, putting it to 25 feet. His opponent Toby Burden (Hayling) had taken an iron for safety from the tee but found sand with his approach before playing a stunning bunker shot to within gimmee range.
That left Jo with a long putt for the win and he duly delivered the grandstand finish for his first major title in England and he also became only the seventh golfer from Jersey to win it in the competition’s 100th anniversary year. For Toby, the 2019 champion, the manner of defeat was particularly tough. Last year he lost to a birdie at the final hole against clubmate Rich Harris.
Toby Burden wastes no time in winning Gerald Micklem Cup
“It was definitely my shot of the week,” said Jo referring to his second shot at 18. “Had you given me 100 balls I wouldn’t have got it any closer.”
That came after the student had holed from 30 foot at 16 to square the match. At the par five 17th both players got up and down for a birdie.
Earlier Jo had a built a two-hole lead thru ten before the experienced Hayling player won 11, 12 and 13 and maintained that one-hole lead until the drama began at 16.
The La Moye golfer qualified third for the matchplay stages, three shots behind South Wincester’s Harvey Denham. Of the 72 entrants, he was the only one to finish under par in the 36-hole strokeplay section.
For Jo, who is a regular visitor to TPC Sawgrass as part of the Jacksonville Dolphins golf team, he prepares to travel north for the British Amateur at Nairn (June 14-19). On the Monday he tees off at 2.02pm alongside Doncaster’s Josh Berry and former pro Warren Bladon (Kenilworth).