This 2014 English amateur golf championship was staged at Saunton Golf Club, at Braunton in Devon, from 28 July to 2 August, and was contested by 288 of the country’s finest amateur golfers. The tournament marked a great week for the 19 year old trio of local golfers Scott Gregory, Corhampton Golf Club, Billy McKenzie, Rowlands Castle GC, both former South Downs College students and former classmates and Jamie Mist, Hayling Island GC. Gregory and Mist are currently studying at University in America.
The format of the championship was a 36 hole qualifier with the top 64 players progressing to the knockout match play stage. Out of the local talent on display it was McKenzie who led the way in the stoke play, with an opening round of 71 on the tougher of the two courses leaving him in an overall tie for 8th. Gregory (74) and Mist (75) did not find it quite so easy but remained in contention.
After the second qualifying round it was still McKenzie that was the star man with a +1 total after a second round 73 leaving him in an overall tie for 17th, ahead of Gregory and Mist who were +3 and +4 respectively after both shooting second rounds of 71, qualifying all three for the knockout stage.
All three players progressed through the round of 64, reaching the final 32. This However was the end of the competition for McKenzie as he lost on the last hole of his match whereas Gregory and Mist progressed to the last 16. Their campaigns did not end there either, with Gregory’s match going the entire distance for the third time in a row, this time winning on the second play-off hole. Similarly to his two previous matches Mist was able to get the job done before the final hole with a 3&1 win over Goodwood’s Toby Tree. This would be Mist’s final win before losing on the last hole in his quarter final match.
For Gregory the winning run continued in similar fashion to before with yet another match going the entire distance with the same winning result. By that point he had played more golf than anybody else in the competition. The semi-final seemed as good a time as any for Gregory to win a match early with a convincing 3&2 win over Jack Cardy from Ipswich Golf Club. The win set up a final against Huddersfield’s Nick Marsh who had qualified for the knockout stage in second place. The final was contested over 36 holes and was closely fought with both players leading at various points but it was ultimately decided on the 35th hole with Gregory unfortunately losing 2&1.
The three local players were able to draw many positives from the week as they all achieved above expectations and will now look to build on their performances in the closing stage of the season.
By: Laurence Warren-West