Meghan MacLaren put her foot down to get to five-under par through six holes at Moor Park. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

MEGHAN MacLaren won the second Rose Ladies Series event at Hertfordshire’s Moor Park in Hertfordshire – despite a two-shot penalty for playing the wrong ball.

The two-time LET tournament winner shot a three-under par 69 to finish two strokes clear of series founder Liz Young and England amateur Samantha Fuller.

The temperatures hit 31 degrees Centigrade on the hottest day of the year in the United Kingdom as the 50-strong field tackled the High Course.

But the hottest player on the course as MacLaren, who raced to five-under after six holes on her front-nine – with a birdie at the first and eagle at the fourth.

Meghan – who helped rebrand teh Ladies European Tour by writing a script for the inspirational Raise Our Game video – birdied the short 10^th to get to six-under.

The Wellingboro Golf Club member then made double bogey on the 11th after playing the wrong ball, followed by two further bogeys on the 12th and 13th.

But a brilliant birdie on the 15th cemented her position at the top of the leaderboard.

Meghan MacLaren put her foot down to get to five-under par through six holes at Moor Park. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

Meghan happy to get her edge back

MacLAREN returned to competitive golf for the first time in three months last week, following the forced break caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.

Meghan said: “I think everybody felt a bit more comfortable this week.

“We were thrown in at the deep end last week, because the course was really tough, and this one was tough as well.

“But you start to get your edge back, bit by bit. It’s just nice.

“We all enjoy being here and you see the same faces, so it’s a really enjoyable atmosphere.

“For someone like Justin Rose to come out and sponsor this and say the things that he did and just give us some respect, it’s meant the world to all of us.

“To turn that into action is something that we will all be grateful for, for a very long time. Just getting to play – it’s nice to be out here again.”

The winner of the 2017 LET Access Series Order of Merit was presented with a cheque for £5,000 by Justin’s wife Kate.

Meghan posed for photos with the Rose bowl alongside her sister and caddy Becky as the penalty for playing the wrong ball did not prove costly at the end.

Young moves top Order of Merit

Young was a runner-up for the second consecutive week.

She moved into the lead on the American Golf Order of Merit ahead of Charley Hull, who won last week’s opener at Brokenhurst Manor, in Hampshire.

The Solheim Cup star tied for seventh at Moor Park, despite having played in a charity pro-am at Worplesdon Golf Club earlier in the morning.

Inci Mehmet and Beaconsfield’s Rachel Drummond also played 36 holes in one day and drove the 30 miles around the M25 to get to Moor Park for their afternoon tee time.

They tied for 21st and 34th place respectively, while another Solheim Cup star, Bronte Law was unable to match MacLaren’s sparkling form and had to settle for a share of 34th.

The Rickmansworth club has hosted European Tour events, and is the spiritual home of the Carris Trophy, one of the world’s top junior events.

Moor Park also boasts European Tour winner Matt Wallace as its touring pro.

The Rose Ladies Series is made up of eight tournaments. It moves next week to The Buckinghamshire Golf Club, the home of the LET.

The series will culminate in a two-day Grand Final to be held at The Berkshire and Wentworth’s West Course on August 6-7.

Moor Park’s famous clubhouse – The High Course is one of the UK’s top parkland courses

ROSE LADIES SERIES
July 2: Buckinghamshire Golf Club
9: Royal St George’s Golf Club
16: JCB Golf and Country Club
23: Bearwood Lakes
30: The Shire, London
GRAND FINAL
August 6: The Berkshire Golf Club
7: Wentworth Golf Club (West Course)

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Justin Rose and his wife Kate (left) have agreed to sponsor six UK events for women professionals, starting in June, at Brokenhurst Manor. Picture by WARREN LITTLE / IGF

JUSTIN Rose and his wife Kate are to sponsor the Rose Ladies Series of women’s golf tournaments in the UK – culminating in a two-day final.

The Roses decided to put up £35,0000 to sponsor the one-day events in June and July after reading about fellow Hampshire-based professional Liz Young’s efforts to put on a competition at her home club in the New Forest.

Young – who was English Women’s Amateur Strokeplay Champion in 2006 – came up with her idea to enable players to stay competitive, ahead of the LET’s return to golf.

She appealed for sponsors to help with her day at Brokenhurst Manor, where her amateur career blossomed.

She got to play with Nick Faldo in the USA and made her Curtis Cup debut at St Andrews Old Course.

And Rose, who came through the same junior ranks in Hampshire as Liz a decade earlier, not only backed the Brokenhurst event.

He also supported the formation of a mini-tour in England over the next two months including a visit to Royal St George’s in Kent.

Officially known as the Rose Ladies Series, the schedule includes:–
June
18 – Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club
25 – Moor Park Golf Club
July
2 – Buckinghamshire Golf Club
9 – Royal St George’s
16 – JCB Golf & Country Club
23 – Bearwood Lakes Golf Club
30/31 – Final TBC

Among the players who have commited to playing at Brokenhurst are Dorset’s Major winner Georgia Hall and LET winners Meghan MacLaren and Annabel Dimmock, from Wentworth.

“I can’t thank Justin and Kate enough for coming onboard, creating opportunities and increasing the visibility for professional women golfers.

“I would also like to thank the Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club members.

“Their encouragement and support has been amazing from the start.

“And I’m sure that with the news of Justin and Kate being involved, they will be as excited as I am.

“It makes me so proud to be a member of BMGC.”

Jason: ‘Time to give something back’

Liz, who played Stacy Lewis in the singles at the 2008 Curtis Cup against the USA, said: “This all started with an idea that myself and our head pro Jason McNiven had.

“We went to the club with it and we had great support from them.

“We had a vision from the start – get women competing again, increase the profile and visibility of women’s professional golf and inspire the next generation.

“Hopefully, the players would embrace the chance to play, see that it could be done and maybe take it to their clubs.

“Thanks to Justin, Kate and his team, our dream has come true… in a week!”

Jason added: “It was a simple idea and concept – play for your own money and you get to enjoy competing again.

“We are delighted to have help from Justin and Kate, as they can grow the series, which is what we initially wanted to do.

“We want to inspire the next generation. And hopefully if this is an annual event, then kids can walk the fairways with their heroes.

“It is my duty to help the girls, it is time for me to put back into the sport and help the women, so it’s the right thing to do.

“Liz and I flew the kite and it has officially taken off.”

Liz Young who has organised the Brokenhurst Manor Women’s Open. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

Club ‘delighted’ to support Rose series

Club manager Kevin Light said: “Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club is delighted to host the first event of the upcoming Rose Ladies Series.

“Knowing that Liz had spoken about the LET schedule being the strongest in a number of years – only for coronavirus to hit – we were only too happy to step in.”

Rose was inspired to help by the lack of golf facing the LET players this summer as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Justin felt it was unfair that he will return to action on the PGA tour with the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club, in Texas, on Thursday – two months before his female counterparts are able to do so.

Rose, who won the Mike Smith Memorial Trophy in 1996 – setting the course record at Brokenhurst Manor in the process – said: “Professional sports people are not machines – we cannot just power on and go.

“We have to nurture our skills in order to rely on them when needed – usually under pressure.

“My wife and I felt it was an opportunity for us to help where we can,” said Rose, the 2013 US Open Champion – and gold medallist at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

“We are therefore delighted to say that we will be supporting a mini-series for ladies to take place in June and July.

“This will comprise a number of one-day events at some of the top courses in England.

Justin Rose came through the same junior ranks in Hampshire as Liz Young

Justin: ‘Sky have agreed to televise Rose Ladies Series’

“The prize money will be modest, but we hope the series will give our talented lady golfers the opportunity to showcase their skills.

“Sky TV have agreed to provide a package for viewers and the Sunday Telegraph will ensure the events are well-reported.

“Needless to say, Kate and I are immensely grateful to the host clubs for making their courses available to us, and for the enthusiastic support of all those behind the scenes who make the tournaments run smoothly.

“Golf is a sport that is able to be played while socially distancing.

“And hopefully the TV coverage of the ladies competing can inspire more women and families in England to go out and play.

“It can be so beneficial for mental health to be out in the fresh air and get some space, especially in these challenging times.

“In particular, we are also grateful for the support and encouragement of the more established lady professional golfers for supporting this event.

“Through their participation they will encourage support for their sport and show the flame for ladies’ golf will not be easily extinguished.

“Golf has given me so much. As most of my followers know, I had my struggles early in my career, but at least I did not have to face a pandemic.

“I was still able to play. To be denied the opportunity to work or to play for months on end is very challenging, both physically and mentally.

“And that is why Kate and I feel it is so important that we want to try to do something about it.”

The LET is supporting the Rose Ladies Series and thanked Justin and Kate Rose for their incredibly generous support of women’s golf.

Rose with his support team at the 2016 Olympics. Picture by WARREN LITTLE / IGF

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Matt Wallace spoke about his time in the England Golf Elite squad to current members – and his years struggling on the Alps Tour before winning three European Tour events

EUROPEAN Tour stars Matt Wallace and Matt Fitzpatrick have gone back to their roots to encourage, inspire and advise the next generation of English golfers.

The former England Golf graduates took part in separate online Q&A sessions with current players, coaches and staff and captivated their audiences with tales on their careers and anecdotes from life on tour.

Ex-Hertfordshire Men’s and Colts player Wallace expressed his hopes that his unconventional route to the top can inspire England Golf’s current performance squads.

Speaking from his base in Florida, World No. 43 Wallace relived his amateur days, his trials and tribulations grinding away on the Alps Tour and then his breakthrough with victory at the Portuguese Open in 2017.

Among the many questions posed were some from players such as Farnham’s England Girls international Lottie Woad, who was also a promising footballer on Southampton Ladies’ books.

Current Portuguese Amateur Champion Harry Goddard – who also plays for Hertfordshire, Wiltshire’s Scottish Amateur Strokeplay winner Jake Bolton and Yorkshire’s Ben Schmidt, the youngest-ever winner of the Brabazon Trophy at 16, nearly a year ago, also fired off questions.

Fitzpatrick – a five-time winner on the European Tour and a member of the 2016 European Ryder Cup team – was keen to stress how important it is for players to take nothing for granted.

They need to realise that hard work can be the key to success said the 2012 winner of the Selborne Salver, a competition won 12 months earlier at Hampshire’s Blackmoor GC, by Ryder Cup team-mate Andy Sullivan.

Matt Fitzpatrick talking to England Golf squad members in the online Q&A

Matt’s unconventional rise to top

WALLACE explained just why he was happy to meet the request of England performance director Nigel Edwards to speak to the rising stars of the English game.

“I feel it’s important for the players to realise there can be more than one way to reach the top,” said Wallace from the renowned Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound.

“I was in the England Golf set-up, but kind of on the fringes of it and always pushing for attention.

“The year prior to my involvement with England, the squad was amazing.

‘Then a number of guys turned pro at the same time – Tom Lewis, Andy Sullivan and Steven Brown included – and I came in from nowhere to the elite squad.

“I maybe didn’t feel as if I’d earned my stripes and didn’t back myself as a golfer as much as I should.

“But I gave it everything, was proud to be in the set-up and enjoyed good experiences in places such as Argentina and the Czech Republic.

“When I didn’t get picked for and England v France match and knew that my chances of Walker Cup were slim, I decided to turn pro.

“I was then grinding away on the Alps Tour for four years with people saying you can’t be that good if you are four years on the Alps Tour.”

Hallamshire GC’s Matt Fitzpatrick on his way to victory in the Selborne Salver in 2012. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

US Amateur win sealed Walker Cup place

FITZPATRICK enjoyed a terrific amateur career – the highlight being when he won the US Amateur Championship in 2013, just 12 months after being crowned British Boys Champion.

Victory at Boston’s Brookline Country Club – with his brother Alex on the bag – meant the Hallamshire GC member was picked for the GB&I Walker Cup team that lost heavily at Long Island’s National Golf Links of America later that month.

Alex also ended up on the losing side against the USA at Hoylake, in September.

Both brothers took up golf scholarships in America.

But Matt cut short his stay at Chicago’s NorthWestern University – where NCAA champion Luke Donald had spent four years from 1997-2001 – after just one term.

He turned pro after appearing in the 2014 US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 as the reigning US Amateur Champion.

Matt had also won the Silver Medal as the top amateur at the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield.

Twelve months earlier he had been a member of the England Boys team.

The 25-year-old – currently No. 25 in the world rankings – admitted: “It was great to be a part of the England Golf set-up as an amateur, and I wanted to be able to give a little back in terms of advice.

“I worked with some great coaches – Steve Robinson, Graham Walker and John Jacobs among them – and the structure and focus of the England Golf sessions were great for me.

Fitzpatrick tells England’s best ‘play smart’

Matt Fitzpatrick won the Selborne Salver in 2012. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURE

“I remember my first session at Woodhall Spa when Graham told us all we were to be up for a run at 7am the next morning.

“But I liked that discipline and planning that went into every aspect of our coaching.

“The message I wanted to get across to the squads was that golf isn’t easy.

“And to remember that while you can compete at national level, there are kids in Spain, Sweden and all over the world working just as hard to make the top.”

Fitzpatrick’s “play smart” approach to golf was a theme of his session, while his thoroughness in preparation from practice round technique, physical conditioning – through to on course strategy – was strongly evident.

During a detailed and insightful interactive session, Fitzpatrick fielded plenty of questions.

England Girls’ squad member Rosie Belsham, Cornwall’s Women’s Amateur Champion Emily Toy quizzed the Sheffield star, who won his maiden pro event at Woburn, in the 2015 British Masters.

And another Selborne winner – Sussex’s Charlie Strickland – Fulford’s Charlie Thornton and Jack Brooks, from Cheshire, who was runner-up in last year’s Lytham Trophy, also posed questions.

Matt Wallace at the Hampshire Hog in 2012 – the England Elite squad member turned pro a year later but then spent several years struggling before his career took off in 2018. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

From Elite squad for four years struggling on Alps Tour

DURING his frank Q&A session, Wallace spoke with real honesty about the memory he had of one day sitting on the couch at his parents’ home – and reflecting on where his career was heading at the age of 24.

His friends had good jobs and houses and he was living at his parents “winning 50p on the Alps Tour.”

Having asked himself if he still wanted this sort of life aged 27, Wallace set about changing into a player “who would stop at nothing” to reach the top.

Wallace went on to win six times on the Alps Tour in 2016, including a remarkable five victories in a row.

That earned promotion to the European Challenge Tour – his breakthrough win came in the Portugal Open in May 2017, followed by three European Tour victories in 2018.

His Made in Denmark win in front of European captain Thomas Bjørn was not quite enough to gatecrash the 2018 Ryder Cup.

But it was one hell of a ride from those days of struggling on mini-tours.

Matt, who started as a junior at Batchworth Park, in Rickmansworth, said: “My dad always encouraged me to act like a sponge with information – knowing that at any time you could squeeze out things that you didn’t like or which weren’t appropriate.

“It was great to do this Q&A and I hope some of the things I said were of use to the England players.”

Wallace, who grew up in Pinner, claimed the Peter Benka Trophy at the South East Qualifier at Stoneham GC, in 2010.

He then headed to Jacksonville State University where he played for the Gamecocks – the same Alabama college where Danny Willett had spent two years on a golf scholarship before winning the English Amateur in 2007.

In 2018, he returned to Moor Park, where he was also a member and held a clinic for juniors at the Rickmansworth club’s First Degree Golf Academy.

•Tommy Fleetwood, Chris Wood, Danny Willett, Bronte Law and Meg McLaren are lined up among a host of professionals ready to pass on knowledge to England’s class of 2020, as they continue to learn during a restricted period of lockdown.

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Hew Squirrell was a five-time winner of the Welsh Amateur and won both the Berkhamsted Trophy and the Hampshire Hog. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

HEW Squirrell – one of Wales’ and Hertfordshire’s most successful-ever amateur golfers – has passed away aged 87.

The Welsh international won five Welsh Amateur titles, represented his country in the Home Internationals 19 times between 1955 and 1975.

Squirrell was part of the first Wales team ever to beat England in 1961 and won a number of big competitions in the UK during his illustrious amateur career.

Hew, when asked about the victory over England back in 1961, said: “This was a big day for us, beating England for the first time, 12-3.

“Wales only narrowly lost to Ireland, we scored a record 23 points this year.”

Only Henry Howell heads Squirrell in Wales Golf’s history books with more Welsh Amateur titles – eight between 1920-32 while only Iestyn Tucker earned more Welsh caps in the Home International appearances with 25 between 1949-79.

Cardiff Golf Club member Squirrell also captained the Welsh Home International side three times – and was the first winner of the Berkhamsted Trophy in 1960.

Wales Golf chief’s praise for Hew

Wales Golf chief executive Richard Dixon said: “It is with great sadness we heard one of our most illustrious former internationals has passed away.

“Hew has a firm place in Welsh golfing history. It is remarkable to be second on the all-time lists both for representing Wales in the Home Internationals and winning the Welsh Amateur Championship.

“Given the changes to the game in the modern era it is extremely unlikely he will be overtaken in either listing.

“Wales struggled against the greater strength in-depth of the other nations in the early days of the Home Internationals.

“But Hew was part of a group of players who came through in the ’50s who made Wales competitive.

“Along with Tucker, George Duncan, Tony Duncan, Tudor Davies and others they turned round Welsh fortunes, including that first victory over England.”

The honorary member of Royal Porthcawl also won the French Amateur title.

Having come up through the ranks as a junior at Cardiff GC, Squirrell gained his first Wales cap in 1955.

After moving to England, he won the Hertfordshire County Championship twice in 1963 and 1973, while a member at Moor Park.

He was also the first-ever winner of the Hampshire Hog, at North Hants GC, which has been won by great amateurs including Sandy Lyle, Gary Wolstenholme, Surrey’s John Davies and Peter McEvoy.

Hew then joined Buckinghamshire’s Denham Golf Club, on the outskirts of London.

As well as winning the Welsh Amateur Championship three years in a row from 1958-60, and back-to-back in 1964 and 1965, Squirrell finished as runner-up twice in 1962 and 1971.

Jack Senior (left) winner of the 2011 Hampshire Hog at North Hants GC with the 1961 winner Hew Squirrel, a member at Denham GC. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

In recent years he returned to North Hants to present the Hampshire Hog trophy to winner Jack Senior in 2011.

That visit marked 50 years since the Welshman became the fifth winner, two years after international team-mate Tony Duncan, who was stationed in North Hampshire as an Army Colonel.

Hew’s son Daniel Squirrell said: “Many Welsh golf clubs hosted Dad on numerous occasions over his golfing career, they have provided Dad and the family many fond memories.”

But the final word goes to legendary golf writer Bernard Darwin who recorded, “Perhaps I may pay my respectful compliments to Hew Squirrell.

“An elegant player he may not be – but he is full of fight and hope and the most difficult man to beat in any company.”

The post Hew Squirrell – five-time Welsh Amateur Champion – passes away, aged 87 appeared first on Golf North.

Moor Park’s Callum Shinkwin put his recent back problem behind him to lead after the first round in the 100th KLM Open, in Holland. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

MOOR Park’s Callum Shinkwin carded a superb six-under par 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the 100^th edition of the KLM Open.

The Hertfordshire player sits 126th in the Race to Dubai rankings and 446th in the Official World Golf Rankings – but belied his status to lead a large chasing pack at The International.

Shinkwin said: “My golf as of late has not been great, as has my health as well, but the golf… is still not there, still very uncomfortable – but I managed to turn it round and shoot a good round of 66.

“I caught food poisoning back in Sweden – it can happen anywhere – but I caught it there and couldn’t get up on that Friday morning

“And then I’ve had a bit of a bad back as well. My back went last week and I thought the best thing to do it to walk in and basically have the weekend off and recover.

The former Walker Cup player, who claimed the Hampshire Hog at North Hants GC, in 2012, and then took the Hampshire Salver a year later when he went on to face the USA at New York’s Long Island, revealed that despite the illness and injuries, he has been battling to get back to the form that saw him lose a play-off with Rafa Cabrera Bello at the 2017 Scottish Open.

Shinkwin said: “Just working hard really. Been down the range, working on what I needed to work on. I wasn’t hitting the ball very well, that’s probably why the back wasn’t great.

“But I’m just working hard and if I’m feeling uncomfortable then that means I’m doing the right things.”

The 26-year-old reached the turn in 32 courtesy of an eagle, three birdies and one dropped shot before a blemish free back nine – which included two gains – help him to the top of the leaderboard.

Malaysian Gavin Green made a trademark fast start to finish on five-under, with Shinkwin’s playing partner Swede Per Langfors carding 67 to sit alongside Scot Marc Warren, Dane Nicolai Højgaard, and Englishmen Chris Paisley, Sam Horsfield and Matthew Southgate at five-under.

The 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia led a group of eight players one shot further adrift at four-under after signing for a bogey-free 68 on a low scoring morning in the Netherlands.

Garcia said: “It was nice. Obviously, the conditions got a little bit trickier in the last six or seven holes with the wind picking up a little bit. Before that it was quite nice, so I am happy with that.

“The experience yesterday wasn’t very good in the pro-am with the rain and my neck was a little bit stiff, but we are playing through it and hopefully it won’t creep up on me throughout the week.

“The course is nice, the greens are very nice and rolling at a nice speed, so it is a good-looking golf course with big greens and a lot of movement.

“I need a little bit more of the same thing I did today. Just keep working on the confidence and keep working hard like I have been doing, and hopefully I will have a chance this week.”

Defending champion Wu Ashun was one of 10 players at three-under, including two-time KLM Open winner and playing partner Joost Luiten, who came home in a remarkable 30 after carding his opening front nine in three-over.

Luiten, who is going for a hat-trick of wins in his national Open during its centenary, said: “I felt like my mindset changed a little bit.

“I was three-over after nine and I thought alright, I am just going to go for every flag now, I can’t play safe anymore.

“I was playing a bit too safe on the front nine and that is where the mistakes came from and started to steer the ball a little bit away from the flags.

“Once you get the birdies going you get in the zone and then you don’t really realise what is going on around you.

“You just want to make more birdies, and it’s great that it happened. To make six, I created enough chances to make birdies and that is what you need to do on a course like this.”

•For live scoring in the KLM Open click here.

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Matt Wallace playing in the Hampshire Hog at North Hants GC, in 2012

MATT Wallace claimed the glory and risked the curse of claiming the Par Three competition at Augusta – beating Sandy Lyle in a play-off on Wednesday.

The Scot was, of course, the first Brit to win the Masters back in 1988 – but in 57 years since it was introduced and won by legendary Sam Snead, none of the Par Three winners have gone on to wear the Green Jacket four days later.

Wallace’s dream start to his Masters debut began with Sky Sports driving him down the famous Magnolia Lane on Sunday, amid grey skies and showers that reminded the 28-year-old from Hertfordshire of home.

And the little boy who started out playing at Batchworth Park, who grew into one of Europe’s most ferocious closers with three wins on the European Tour in a year in 2018, has been tapping into those Hertfordshire connections as he prepares for today’s tee time with 1985 winner Bernhard Langer and Latin American Amateur Champion Alvaro Ortiz, at 5.10pm UK time.

You cannot get a better boost in your preparations to help cope with the lightning fast, sloping greens than three-time Masters winner Sir Nick Faldo, who was raised at Welywn Garden City, having only taken the game up himself as a teenager.

Faldo has always said it was watching the Masters on TV in 1971 that inspired him to taking up golf after his parents bought a new colour TV.

Wallace, who was a member at Moor Park playing for Hertfordshire a decade ago before heading off to Alabama where he spent four years at Jacksonsville State University, shortly after a certain Danny Willett had been a member of the Gamecocks team.

And it was Willett, as well as Faldo that Wallace turned to for an inside track on Augusta’s hallowed holes.

Matt said: “I’ve spent the past few days tapping into the knowledge of those who have won at Augusta, from practice rounds with Sir Nick Faldo, to playing the Par Three event with Danny Willett.

“When Danny won the Masters in 2016, not many people fancied him to do it but he was in the top 10 of strokes gained in approach play, so statistically he should have been among the favourites.

“I chatted to Danny about it and we talked again yesterday as I tried to get as much information as I can.

“It clearly worked as I won the Par Three thanks to that hole-in-one on the eighth. The event is such a cool tradition but it’s done now and my mind’s on round one.

“Being at Augusta is what you dream about. I remember trying to get tickets in the ballot with my dad, we missed out and I always thought that was my chance gone of being here in any capacity.

“But driving up Magnolia Lane for the first time in the rain on Sunday, I was just speechless.

“It was so much better than I could ever have imagined and, by Amen Corner, I was playing in pure sunshine, and this place is beautiful.

“It’s crazy for me. I’m just Matt Wallace from Pinner and here I am, and the mad thing is that I deserve to be here.”

Wallace, who was playing in the Selborne Salver and Hampshire Hog as an amateur just seven years ago this month, admitted that even playing with a hero like Sir Nick Faldo, he found it hard not to play very intensely.

But the kind of bubble the top players need to be immersed in shone through from some wise words from “The Master.”

Matt revealed his hero explained what happened when the defending champion – after his famous head-to-head with Greg Norman, who lost a six-shot lead to Faldo in 1996 – played with Tiger Woods in 1997.

The future World No. 1 eventually won the tournament by 12 shots and started his domination of the game of golf for the next decade.

Faldo said he never watched the young Tiger who opened with 40 on the front nine, on the Thursday, hit a shot until the 12^th hole when he played a chip shot on his way to shooting 30 on the back nine before finally ending up on 18-under before having Sir Nick hang that famous jacket around his shoulders.

Matt, who won six times on the Alps Tour in 2016, realises he needs to be equally solely focused on his own game for his Masters debut.

The winner of last year’s Made in Denmark when he was trying to force Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn to consider giving Wallace a wildcard, said: “You have to think that whoever you play with, however big the name, they don’t care about me so I can’t care about them. As bad as it might sound, that’s the reality.”

The other major lesson learned from Faldo is approach play will be key around Augusta National Golf Club.

Matt added: “The first port of call is to get the ball in the middle of the fairway, and that suits my game.

“Drive the ball well and you have chances to hit the positions you want to.”

Wallace also has one of Faldo’s old caddies on the bag – Belfast’s Dave McNeily, who also caddied for Nick Price, Retief Goosen and Padraig Harrington.

Matt, who has been relaxing in the evenings with his favourite foods at a big house in the company of his manager Chubby Chandler, said: “The key is to feel relaxed and I’ve got my team with me and my girlfriend, Chelsie, who caddied for me in the Par Three event.

“I’m 36th in the world, I’m here by right, and I believe I have as good a chance as anyone.

“This is the one I want to win, growing up it was always the Green Jacket and The Open.”

The post Wallace picks Faldo’s brain at Augusta then wins Masters Par 3 appeared first on Golf North.

A second successive 67 by New Yorker Julian Suri sees the Made in Denmark winner top of leaderboard at the Hero Indian Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JULIAN Suri fired a second consecutive round of 67 to take a two-shot lead into the weekend at the Hero Indian Open.

The American was heading home on Friday night 12 months ago at DLF Golf and Country Club after posting 76-82… but he was 24 shots better off than that this time around at 10-under par.

Suri is playing just his second event of the season after undergoing surgery on an abdominal hernia.

But the New Yorker showed he was in fine health in New Delhi, picking up six shots in as many holes from the first to surge clear in the morning session.

Suri said: “I put the foot down, but I had the same mindset I had really on the first nine.

“I hit it really well the whole day and I just tried to free it up a little bit on the second nine with my putting.

“I hit a lot of good shots and gave myself a ton of chances on the first nine and none of them dropped, particularly with speed and not hitting them hard enough.

“So, just try to free it up and putt with feel like I normally do.

“I am hitting quite a few drivers. Driver is probably the most comfortable club in the bag for me so I am being pretty aggressive and with the greens being somewhat softer than what they were last year.

“I am coming into the greens with a lot of wedges and pitch shots and stuff, so you can score when you are in a good spot.

“I’ve been playing well, and I knew I was playing well even though the score didn’t show it after the first nine, so just had to keep plugging away and staying patient.”

South African George Coetzee finished his round with three birdies to sit at eight-under alongside Swede Robert Karlsson, who ended his day with gains on the 17th and 18th.

Karlsson, who made back-to-back eagles in the first round said: “It was good. I got off to a really good start.

“I was a bit lucky on the fourth, the pin was in a tricky position but I hit a good shot and it just rolled up behind the green and came back to just a foot. So it ended up being a gimme eagle.

“But there was some very good stuff and I am happy with a couple of birdies to finish off.

“I haven’t been in this position for a long time, so I am staying very humble over the weekend.

“I am just trying to do what I am doing, and pretty much looking at this golf course as just a great test to see what I need to do better.

“I’ve worked hard on my game over the last half year, changed coach (Hans Larsson) and things like that, so it feels like I am heading forward.

“But on this golf course a lot of things can happen quickly and even if it does, I am still showing signs, I have put in a bunch of good rounds lately.”

Coetzee who is looking for his first win since last year’s Tshwane Open, said: “Obviously a little easier today then what I have been playing this course back in the past, but I had fun today, hit some really nice shots and made some nice putts.

“It didn’t look like it was going to be birdie-birdie-birdie finish after my tee shot on 15. But I got my head back in a good space and hit some good shots from there.

“I really enjoy the course, it’s probably one of the prettiest courses we play, and the greens are amazing so there is nothing to complain about.

“I will just take it as it comes and try and stay positive and play golf.”

Hertfordshire’s Callum Shinkwin, from Moor Park, and Australian Scott Hend were then at seven-under after firing the only bogey free rounds of the week so far.

Fifty-three-year old Thai Prayad Marksaeng was at six-under, a shot clear of Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura and Sri Lankan N Thangaraja, with Finn Mikko Korhonen, Scot Richie Ramsay, England’s Robert Rock and Austrian Matthias Schwab six shots off the lead.

There were two holes-in-one on Friday – taking the season’s tally to seven – as Om Pratash Chouhan holed a six-iron on the fifth and Daniel Nisbet holed a four-iron on the third.

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Sergio Garcia shakes hands with Shane Lowry after his 4&2 win in the first round of the WGC-Dell Technologies World Match Play Championship at Texas’ Austin Country Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

IT was a hugely successful opening day for the stars of the European Tour at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Texas’ Austin Country Club.

Francesco Molinari, Sergio Garcia, Tommy Fleetwood and Paul Casey were among the 18 members to register victories, while Tom Lewis halved his match with World No. 3 Brooks Koepka.

There were a plethora of notable stories in round one of the group stage, with Stenson overcoming Phil Mickelson 2&1 in a rerun of one of the greatest final round battles in Open Championship history back in 2016.

Lucas Bjerregaard and Lewis both produced massive upsets as the Dane beat World No. 5 Justin Thomas 3&2, while Hertfordshire’s Lewis – who was playing on the Challenge Tour a mere six months ago – clinched a half point against three-time Major Champion Koepka.

Lewis said: “Every game will be tough this week. I knew that I was going to get a tough draw, being one of the last guys in.

“Brooks is a nice guy, I’ve known him through the European Tour and it was a good day. We weren’t at our best. I handed him the first couple of holes. It’s a bit frustrating but I’m pleased I made that birdie on the last hole.

“I’ve been working on my wedge play the last couple of weeks, and it’s obviously shown through there.

“I pulled it the tiniest bit. I knew that the slope wasn’t really going to kick in. I was pleased to have a putt for the winning hole.”

Moor Park’s Matt Wallace, who also hails from Hertfordshire, also won on his debut, overcoming former Major Champion Keegan Bradley, as did Justin Harding who staged a remarkable comeback to beat Matt Fitzpatrick, having been two down stepping onto the 16th tee.

Ryder Cup legend Sergio Garcia beat the current Race to Dubai leader Shane Lowry 4&2, while Ian Poulter – a former winner of this event – sealed a two-up victory over Kevin Kisner.

Poulter, who went to school in Hertfordshire before becoming a club pro in Bedfordshire, said: It was a fun match. Up, down, up, all square with a couple to go, so it was interesting.

“When you’re two-up with four to play, you hit a great shot in there to about five feet and Kevin had a putt from about 15 or 17 feet.

“You’ve always got to expect him to hole it, which he did. But I wasn’t expecting to miss my five-footer there. So that was a bit of a shame.

“And then I hit driver-driver on 16, which I’d like to play the hole over again. It doesn’t matter now.

The Woburn member added: “It kind of got up on to the green and it just trickled off and obviously he holes out from 70 yards, he goes square, and it’s really game on from a position where I kind of had control of it.

Tiger Woods won his opening group stage match, beating Aaron Wise 3&1, while four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy cruised to a 5&4 triumph over Luke List.

Bjerregaard, who claimed the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, in October, said: “The last couple holes were a little more stressful than I was hoping. I hit a good drive on 15 and then, it was a pretty simple pitch shot in there that I messed up pretty bad.

“But I played well today, I didn’t make many mistakes. I made that one on 15 and hit a shot in the hazard on three. Other than that I put it in some good spots and drove the ball nicely.

“I didn’t give too much away. And then I made a couple of good putts where JT had hit it closer than me and he missed those.

“So there was a couple of match play moments in there that were pretty key for me there.”
Molinari, a 5&4 winner over Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira, said: “I played really well, made some nice putts at the beginning and throughout the match.

“So I’m really happy the way I played. Obviously, it’s a little bit easier when you start that way, but you still have to play a lot of golf and close the match out.

“So there were a couple of moments where I could have done maybe better, but all in all a very good day. It’s great to start with a win.

“It doesn’t mean a lot unfortunately, with this format. So I need to show up tomorrow and try to play some similar golf to today.”

“And I had a big putt there at 17 to leave myself just under the hole to give myself a right-to-left putt, which was a good one. I holed it, and obviously up and down from the last.”

Stenson, after getting the better of Mickelson again, said: “You could say it maybe wasn’t the most well-played match from either one of us, but there were still some good golf in there.

“I was pretty happy with my performance today. I hit some really nice iron shots and made a couple of important putts, as well.

“Phil is always worth the price of admission. He hit some fabulous short-game shots on three or four holes.

“He’s in some areas where you just can’t get up and down, and he’s Phil Mickelson and he gets it up and down. So that’s always tough to compete against.”

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