The weather-affected Midland Men’s Open did not enjoy the best of starts but it certainly got an enthralling finish with Jordan Boulton taking home the spoils after a play-off.
FORMAT: 54-hole stroke play (reduced from 72)
Heavy rain meant the competition was shortened to 54 holes with the morning round washed out at St Neots. The action moved to The Cambridgeshire the following day and it played host to a great battle between Nottinghamshire matchplay champion Boulton and last year’s Midland Closed champion Mark Stockdale (Woburn).
The Buckinghamshire player had a set a searing pace on day one – he shot a six-under 64 – before Boulton fired back with a 66 to take a three-shot lead going into the final round.
And the lead remained at that with six holes to go but back-to-back birdies from Stockdale – on top of a bogey at 14 from the Hollinwell player – meant the duo played the last four neck and neck.
Boulton got confirmation his lead had disappeared walking down the 15th after a chat with Stockdale before both players parred in and then the Nottinghamshire golfer birdied the first extra hole to win a title he has come close to taking in recent years.
“Last year I finished fifth and the year before that I was second so it was great to get the job done,” said the 25-year-old, who won his county championship at Oakmere Park having won the stroke play version the year before.
“Mark and I had a great battle and there was some good stuff out there. We finished eight shots ahead of the third-placed player so that speaks volumes to what was achieved.”
The play-off hole was in keeping with what had gone on before. Boulton drove to within 40 yards of the green at the first and then pitched to inside a foot. His playing partner missed the green with his second but then, having conceded the birdie, chipped to six inches.
About an hour earlier both players had stiffed their tee shots at the par three 15th to stay level on 11 under before parring in.
However Boulton lipped out at 17 for birdie and then Stockdale showed nerves of steel to knock in 12-foot par putt at the last to take the event into extra time.
In the morning Boulton had roared into the lead thanks to his six-under-par effort, which included seven birdies and a bogey at the first. Stockdale could only manage a 72 but fought back superbly in the afternoon and his 67 was the joint lowest final round alongside Alex Emms (Vale Golf), who birdied four of the final five holes to leapfrog into third.