English Men’s Mid-Amateur culminates with three man play-off
The ’beware the injured golfer’ adage once again proved prophetic as Hampshire’s Stuart Archibald triumphed in the English Men’s Mid-Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship at Liphook last night.
FORMAT: 54-hole stroke play
The former professional has been struggling with a long-standing back issue and looked in serious trouble in the final round when his back locked out after slipping while driving off the 14th tee.
After a quick bit of ‘physio’ from his caddy, he managed his way around the last five holes in one under par and then remarkably won in a sudden-death-play off with county colleague Martin Young (Brokenhurst Manor) and Durham’s Michael Henson (Rockliffe Hall).
In the final shake-up seven players were separated by one shot. One of those just missing out was former Brabazon champion Steve Uzzell (Hornsea), who was 12 over par for his opening 16 holes and 10 under for the remaining 38.
The Yorkshire left hander and Archibald often played EuroPro tour events together and for the Test Valley golfer, a change from playing golf every day to being a new father and working full-time for Foresight Sports has led to a few niggling injuries.
“I’ve gone from being in the gym regularly and playing every day to not playing very much and getting old and fat,” said the 38-year-old, who rejoined the amateur ranks in 2018 and finished second at last year’s Gerald Micklem Cup.
“I played my club championship last week and had to withdraw after 25 holes because I couldn’t walk.
“I played in this because I knew it was 18 holes per day. I’ve been managing my back well, doing things like driving with a hot water bottle behind my back and I did more stretching that swinging a golf club.
“But then I slipped on 14 and my back locked out. My caddie had me on the floor to stretch it and we managed to loosen it.”
Still in considerable discomfort, he fatted a wedge to 40 feet but held the birdie putt to get one over par for the tournament and then struggled to hit the next tee shot, which triggered a coping mechanism idea.
“I lost it right off the tee at 15, hacked out and managed to get it up and down for a par but then I remembered about the old Gary Player thing of walking after the ball after hitting it and on 16 I teed off with a five iron and it went straight.”
Archibald, who was also fighting a painful right knee, managed to par in, disappointingly three putting the par five last to close with a one-over-par 72 and fully expected to come up just just shy.
“After we finished we went back to 18 to watch the final group and Martin (Young) three putted from virtually the same place as I did which meant a play-off.
“Thankfully the first at Liphook is a par three because, had the first play-off hole been a par four, I think I would have been struggling.”
Archibald dashed to the net and hit four six irons knowing that was the club he was going to use at the first and then put his tee shot 25 feet past the flag while both his playing partners missed the green.
Young chipped up to 15 feet and Henson put his second to ten feet before the duo watched as Archibald lagged his birdie effort to two feet and par proved to be enough for him to win the Logan Trophy at the first time of asking.
The new champion, playing his first England Golf event for more than a decade, was impressed with how things had changed.
“I have to give a lot of credit to England Golf for how they organised it. In the olds days of the EGU, it was dull, old fashioned and the staff were a bit snooty. Now the they have younger staff, it feels a lot fresher and it feels a lot more like a professional tournament.”