The long search for WAGR points finally proved fruitful for Yorkshire’s Jake Sowden in Wales as he won the Trubshaw Cup by five shots.
Format: 72-hole stroke play (reduced to 54)
The 19-year-old has come close a couple of times but at Ashburnham and Tenby he finally got over the line, even though dense fog prevented the final round taking place yesterday.
The Howden-based player, who won the English Schools last year, admitted he was nervous after taking a two-shot lead into the final day but a third-round 69 (-1) put him well clear of the chasing pack and he wasn’t even able to get going in the afternoon as the fog refused to clear.
“In the end it was a wire-to-wire victory but I did spend a lot of the night thinking about it and did struggle to get back to sleep when i woke up in the night.
“I have lost WAGR points on countback in the past so it was great to finally get some and I played well all week.”
At Tenby the fog started rolling in as the leaders made the turn for home and after 15 holes they, and the rest of he field, were called in.
“It was really bad,” added The Oaks player. “I had to reply on my playing partners for the lines off the tee.
“I was six ahead when we came in but we agreed with the organisers to finish off our rounds so, at least, it was going to be a 54-hole event.”
Sowden, who is now receiving sponsorship from local firm Howdens Joinery to allow him to play full-time, did bogey 16 but parred in thereafter to finish well clear of Celtic Manor’s Theo Baker while Cilgwin’s Bryn Thomas was a further three shots back in third.
He added: “Being able to play full-time for the foreseeable future is huge for me and I really need to thank my coach Graham Walker and Ping for their support as well as Howden.”