A weekend just playing at one of his favourite golf courses turned into some highly unexpected for Felixstowe Ferry’s Jimmy Price, who remarkably triumphed in the Suffolk County Championship at Halesworth last night.
FORMAT: 54-hole stroke play
The two handicapper, who had never previously finished in the top ten at the event, produced “the round of my life” to win by two shots from plus five handicapper Patrick Spraggs (Aldeburgh) and last year’s British Amateur finalist Monty Scowsill, who was a further shot back in third.
Price has rarely broken par outside his home course but, in windy conditions, he posted a closing one-under-par 71 to stun himself and the rest of the field.
“I entered to play because I quite like the golf course and the entry fee represents good value for money if you play three rounds,” admitted Price.
“I went there with zero expectation but the reaction to me winning has been incredible. I’ve had so many messages from people saying that my victory has inspired them to believe they can do amazing things on a golf course.
“I am very proud to have won it.”
The 41-year-old started the final round two back of Scowsill (Woodbridge) but surged to the top of the leaderboard thanks to a three-under front nine. At the third, which was playing straight down wind, he hit his approach into six feet and sunk the putt before draining a slippery 25-footer down the hill at the par three fourth. Another birdie arrived at the seventh where he pulled off one of the most remarkable threes of the year.
Price added: “I only had 80 yards in from the right rough and shanked my shot. It went straight right and I was chipping from a steep bank. However I caught it lovely and it bounced a couple of times and rolled in.”
His first dropped shot came at 11 but the former Felixstowe Ferry club champion (in 2016) was determined to keep cool.
He added: “I knew everyone was going to make bogeys because it was so windy so I just accepted they were going to come on the back nine.”
He would bogey just one more (13) and became aware that he may have been close to the top of the leaderboard with officials and spectators starting to gather around his match in the closing stages.
Price, himself was not made aware of competition situation until he had driven off 18.
“I had played nice golf on the back nine and then on 18 my playing partner James Tyler spoke to someone and asked me if I’d like to know. I said ‘go on then’ and he told me if I parred here only Monty (Scowsill) could catch me.
“All of a sudden I got really nervous and was really nervous over my pitch.”
The soon-to-be-champion found the putting surface in three, despite the reality of the situation being outlined, and he two putted to finish three over for the tournament.
Scowsill was three groups behind and needed birdies to overhaul the clubhouse leader but he could only par in from 16 to close with a five-over-par 76. Runner-up Spraggs finished with a level-par 72 to finish second having recovered well from an opening 77.