AMATEUR
Europe Rules At Bonallack Trophy
MONTE REI, PORTUGAL | Though Europe
eventually won the Sir Michael Bonallack
Trophy at the Monte Rei Golf & Country Club by
an emphatic 21½- 10½, there was a period on
the last afternoon when things were “just too
exciting” for the liking of Andrew Morgan, the
European captain.
The final singles series should have presented few problems for the home side after
they had bedded down with a healthy 13½- 6½
lead following two days of fourballs and foursomes. But three hours into the 12 matches,
the Asian-Pacific players were up in six and
level in two. Not only that, but Morgan was in
receipt of more bad news by the minute.
To his relief, the pendulum did as it so often
does in such circumstances in suddenly swinging
back the other way. After Manuel Trappel, from
Austria, had defeated Benjamin Campbell at the
top of the line-up to get one point in the bag, Alan
Dunbar and Rhys Enoch each came from behind
to ensure that Europe could not lose.
Rhys Enoch came from behind to defeat Cameron Booth to seal victory for Europe.
Dunbar salvaged a half against Seenappa
Chikkarangappa, while Enoch, after drawing
level at the 16th, won each of the last two holes
to defeat Cameron Booth and complete a commendable haul of five points out of five.
No sooner than Morgan had congratulated
Enoch than the endlessly consistent Ben Taylor
appeared back at base with a 5-and- 4 win over
Chien-Yao Hung. That was when it was all over.
When Jack Nicklaus finished Monte Rei,
he apparently rang home before he left and
advised his wife, Barbara, “This is one of my
best.” The course is as stunning as it is challenging and there was nothing but praise from
both of last week’s teams. Though much of the
golf was of the same electrifyingly high standard as the venue, with New Zealand’s Matthew
Parry receiving a special award for a hole-in-one at the 14th, Asia-Pacific’s play in the
foursomes was a letdown.
Of the 10 points on offer in this format, they
won just two. When their captain, Taimur Hassan
Amin, from Pakistan, told how his only experience
of foursomes was a lone round with his wife, that
did much to explain the situation, at least as far
as his eight Asian team members were concerned. “We simply don’t play them,” he said.
He wondered if the time had come when
they should be introduced to amateur calendars, if only at regional level.
Europeans would sooner his idea comes to
nothing. They suspect that they will need all the
help they can get if Asian golfers are going to
carry on multiplying – and improving – at their
present rate.
RESULTS
www.globalgolfpost.com
APRIL 30, 2012
Welsh Teen Captures Helen Holm
Welsh teenager Amy Boulden rallied on the
incoming nine holes Sunday to win the Helen Holm
Scottish Ladies’ Open Stroke Play Championship.
The 18-year-old, who will represent GB&I in
the Curtis Cup 8-10 June at Nairn GC in Scotland,
birdied the 15th, 16th and 17th holes to slip by
Scot Pamela Pretswell and French teen Perrine
Delacour, then sealed her victory with a confident
five-footer for par at the last.
Boulden closed with a 5-under-par 73 and a 54-
hole total of 10-under 215 total over the Portland
and Old Course of Troon GC. She won by a stroke
over Delacour (74) and by three over Pretswell (77)
and Laura Murray (72). Murray was awarded third
place due to her better last round of 72.
Leona Maguire, who shared the first-day lead
with Rachael Goodall after a 68, struggled over a
blustery weekend to shoot 75-77 and finish fifth.
“The funny thing is, I didn’t hit the ball all that
well with the wind at my back on the outward nine
and I missed a few short putts,” Boulden said.
“But, suddenly, it all came together over the last
four holes ... three birdies and a pressure putt
Amy Boulden
holed for a par and victory. All that Curtis Cup
practice up at the Nairn links paid off in the end.”
READ MORE RESULTS
SOUTH KOREA WINS QUEEN SIRIKIT CUP
