Rhuddlan GC teenager wins four knock-out matches in Spanish Amateur before succumbing in semi-finals to British Boys champion
Wales Boys champion Caolan Burford made a stunning start to life in the men’s game as he came within a whisker of reaching the final of the Spanish Amateur at the weekend.
The 18-year-old Rhuddlan player recovered well from an opening 77 just to make the matchplay stages at Infinitum Lakes near Barcelona before going on a brilliant run in the knock-out phase.
The Spanish Amateur, won in remarkable fashion by John Gough last year, attracts the cream of European talent and in Saturday’s semi-finals Burford took on British Boys champion Albert Hansson (Sweden).
The Welshman lost to Hansson in the quarter-final at Carnoustie last August (5&3) and did so again on Saturday, not before he pushed the Swede all the way.
RELATED: James Ashfield lead in stroke play stages at Infinitum Club
Hansson holed a 12-foot birdie putt on 18 to secure a match-up with overall champion Nicola Gerhardsen – the Swiss golfer won the final by one hole. Burford’s long eagle putt narrowly missed and then he watched on as his opponent calmly got up and down for the required halve.
“It was a bit closer between me and Albert this time but overall I am really pleased with how I played,” said Burford, who also won the Welsh Men’s Stroke Play at Ashburnham last year. “I beat some good players along the way.
“Having done so well in my final junior year it is nice to come out and compete and realise I am good enough to compete at this level.”
Against Hansson, Burford was two down with five to play but battled back to take 14 and 16. However, with his adreneline pumping, he sent one long at the par three 17th and just could not get up and down which meant par was enough for the soon-to-be beaten finalist.
In the morning quarter-final against German teenager Paul Ulmrich, the Welshman was in irresistible form, birdieing four in a row, starting at the second, as he won the first five holes.
He then got up and down at eight, nine and 12 where par was enough to secure a 7&6 success.
The day before he enjoy a great battle with England international Arron Edwards-Hill before going through on the 18th.
After winning the first, Burford lost the next two and then five and seven were halved with birdies, both times Edwards-Hill following in his opponent.
The Chelmsford player doubled his lead at the 12th but his opponent responded brilliantly by holing out from seven feet for birdie on 13 and then he knocked in a 12 footer to get back to all square with two holes to go.
At the par three 17th Burford put his tee shot to nine feet before rolling it in down the hill but then looked to have handed his playing partner the last after driving into trouble up the right.
The Welshman had to take a drop and then laid up to 80 yards before Edwards-Hill, having found the middle of the fairway with his drive, put his second into the lake that runs tight to the fairway all the way up the left.
Both playing four, Burford got unlucky with his lie put secured safe passage to the quarter-finals by firing his pitch to 10 inches.
“That was probably my best shot of the week,” he added. “The ground was so bad I was surprised it wasn’t GUR so to nearly hole it made it extra special.”
Earlier in the week, Burford’s international team-mate James Ashfield led the way in stroke play qualifying before losing out in the third round to Dragon slayer Hansson.