FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play
No-one was more shocked than Llanymynech’s Sam Roberts that he carried off the Shropshire & Herefordshire County Men’s Championship on familiar territory at the weekend.
Work commitments at his family business have meant the former pro does not play much, his handicap having drifted from plus territory to two over the last couple of years.
However the 31-year-old fought back from being five over after ten holes at Oswestry to finish level with “old friend” Lee Anslow and then claimed the winners trophy at the first extra hole.
Roberts was connected to Oswestry for nearly three years while he did his professional training, having left the amateur ranks 13 years ago and then rejoining it eight years later.
“I entered for a nice day out and I like the course,” said the son of former county champion Edward Roberts.
“We have a very busy meat and poultry business so I haven’t played much golf but I surprised myself by playing really well.”
For the sudden death showdown, Roberts was joined on the bag my brother Jack.
“Lee (Anslow) went first and pulled his drive into the trees up the left,” said the first-time county champion.
“So I said to Jack ‘I’m going to hit this as hard as I can’. It ended up being just about the best drive of my life. It went about 330 yards.”
Roberts had just 80 yards left in while his opponent took four shots to find the putting surface. The Llanymynech golf then pitched 40 feet past the hole and proceded to roll it in for a championship-clinching three.
It capped a remarkable hour for the former junior Wales international.
He would close with a one-under-par 69 having sunk a 40-footer at 15 to get one over par for the tournament. He then got up and down for par at the final three holes, including sinkng a 20-footer at 17.
Roberts had started the second round three behind Burghill Valley’s Richard Lloyd and Mike Jones (Oswestry) but a run of four birdies in seven holes dragged him into contention and, after a difficult spell around the turn, held his nerve to shoot the joint lowest score in the afternoon.