Gleeson 10th as Bower snatches Brabazon Trophy
A thunderstorm delays the climax of the Brabazon Trophy with Jamie Bower and Cameron Davis tied on the 18th. Picture: EnglandGolf
Alex Gleeson closed with a 69 to snatch a share of 10th as England’s Jamie Bower took the Brabazon Trophy when long-time leader Cameron Davis three putted the 18th.
Yorkshireman Bower shot two-under par 70 to finish on 12-under, pipping Davis after dramatic suspension of play when the leaders, locked at 12-under par, were both on the 18th green and waiting to putt.
England Golf reported:
Jamie Bower
A violent thunderstorm forced the last group off the course and when they returned Bower two-putted for par and victory, while Australia’s Cameron Davis missed a short one which would have taken the title battle into a play-off.
Ryan Lumsden (Royal Wimbledon), meanwhile, parred the hole to claim third place on 10-under and to win the Henriques Salver for the best score by a player aged under 20.
Ben Hutchinson (Howley Hall) was also a trophy winner, capturing the Scrutton Jug for the best combined score in the Berkshire and Brabazon Trophies.
“The biggest win of my life by an absolute mile,” Bower said. "It means everything, I can’t express it, I’m just delighted
“But I feel really bad for Cameron, he played really well and it was awful for that to happen on the 18th. No-one wants to see that and you would rather win it by holing a putt.”
Davis (had led the championship for the first three rounds and was two ahead going into the final round. But after two holes, Bower had closed the gap and, when he holed a 20-footer on the fourth he went ahead.
He immediately dropped back with the first of his upsets, when his second to the long fifth went in the water guarding the green and he walked off with a double bogey to Davis’s birdie.
Passing the lead to and fro was a feature of the round. Bower edged ahead on the short 11th with a superb tee shot which finished 2ft from the pin; Davis caught him with a birdie on 12 and they stayed tied until the 16th – and another upset for Bower.
His tee shot flew right into deep rough and, although he was able to play out, he bogeyed the hole and slipped a shot behind with two to play. Undaunted he produced his shot of the round, firing the ball to within 2ft of the pin on the short 17th for his sixth birdie of the day.
The rivals were back on level terms and it was on to the 18th for the finale, which brought Bower his title.
Hermitage’s Rowan Lester closed with a 73 to share 12th on 286 with St Andrews Links Trophy winner, Conor O’Rourke (72) tied 16th on 287 with Paul McBride (74).
Brabazon Trophy, London Golf Club (Par 72)
- BOWER, Jamie (Meltham) 67 69 70 70 276
- DAVIS, Cameron (Monash CC) 66 68 70 73 277
- LUMSDEN, Ryan (Royal Wimbledon) 71 68 68 71 278
Irish
- T10 GLEESON, Alex (Castle) 71 71 74 69 285
- T12 LESTER, Rowan (Hermitage) 70 69 74 73 286
- T16 O’ROURKE, Conor (Naas) 73 74 68 72 287
- T16 MCBRIDE, Paul (The Island) 73 71 69 74 287
- T18 HUME, Jack (Naas) 73 68 75 72 288
- T18 MCELROY, Dermot (Ballymena) 73 71 71 73 288
- T18 GALBRAITH, John Ross (Whitehead) 71 70 76 71 288
- T26 FLANAGAN, Sean (Co. Sligo) 76 69 69 76 290
- T26 CAMPBELL, Colm (Warrenpoint) 74 73 72 71 290
- T40 FAIRWEATHER, Colin (Knock) 71 75 75 71 292
Brian Keogh