Duncan Putter turns into gruelling final-day slog
There was a blanket finish at the WAGR-ranked Duncan Putter open where two of the South West’s leading teenage golfers shared the spoils after a draining final day at Southerndown Golf Club.
FORMAT: 72-hole stroke play
Playing 36 holes in one day is never easy but the incredibly challenging weather conditions, coupled with the slow pace of play, meant those in the final few groups didn’t get chance to eat after the morning round.
In fact the leaders went straight from the 18th green to the first hole and in the afternoon long-time leader Sean David (Pyle and Kenfig) literally ran out of steam, allowing the field to close in. The main beneficiary was Dorset’s Tom Bastow (Isle of Purbeck GC), who closed with a superb 72. The duo finished on 16 over par, one clear of fellow leading Welsh players – Tim Harry (Vale Resort) and Lloyd Walters (Morlais Castle).
David said: “I scored so well in the first three rounds without playing my best.
“But it was my first competition of the year and I was exhausted by the end. Also during the last five holes we were waiting for 20 minutes on every shot so, on top of the the gale force winds, it meant it all got very very tough.”
Bastow, who was five groups in front in the final two rounds, came from seven shots back to catch the Pyle and Kenfig player, who last year won the Wales Boys Championship at Cardiff GC.
The Dorset junior birdied the the first and fourth after knocking in shorts irons close but the high winds were always going to come back and bite him. A double bogey at the fifth took him back over par.
With David struggling to repeat the heroics of the previous two days, Bastow managed to post a challenging target thanks to a superb finish. At the brutal 16th he holed a 35-footer for a birdie and then got up and down for a critical par at 17 having dragged his approach shot 30 yards wide of the putting surface.
“It is definitely my biggest win so far,” said Bastow. “Also I’ve got my first WAGR points so that’s a great start to the season.”