The Curious Case of Jim Furyk

Jim Furyk is one of the most revered players in professional golf. He is a major champion, 16-time Tour winner, and face of one of the worst adverts . But, most importantly, he is regarded as one of the game’s good guys.

He’s also a Ryder Cup stalwart with the kind of gritty, stoic attitude that makes him so hard to play against. So why the trepidation about his Ryder Cup pick?

Jim Furyk, a photo by Keith Allison on Flickr.

A brief view of Furyk’s 2012 season would indicate a solid, if unspectacular season: no wins, but a number of good finishes. However, look behind the misleading final standings and a different, less convincing picture emerges.

The Pennsylvania native’s season started pretty well with a runner-up finish in the Transitions Championship in March. A birdie on the 72nd hole would have given Furyk the win, but the par he made put him in a four-way playoff, which was won by Luke Donald on the first sudden death hole. This was forgivable, especially as Donald was arguably the hottest player on the planet at that time.

It was, however, the beginning of an alarming trend.

Skip forward three months to the US Open and Furyk stood on the 70th hole tied for the lead, when he did this. (Note: Duck hook is the same in any language)

The bogey did not put him out of it but when he needed a birdie on the last to tie Webb Simpson he dumped his second shot in a bunker from where he had no chance. It seemed peculiar that a man whose game was made for the tight confines of a US Open could let the trophy — which he had one hand on — get snatched away from him, without putting up much of a fight.

A lacklustre run of two missed cuts and two tied-34th finishes followed before Furyk looked set to claim the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. However, in an almost eerie reenactment of his demise at Olympic, Furyk fumbled and stuttered, blowing the lead he had held since day one and gifting Keegan Bradley his second win.

Ever the gentleman, Furyk was gracious in defeat but clearly numb, his own words conveying the harrowing realisation of what he had just done:



“I’ve lost in some pretty poor fashions, but I don’t think I ever let one slip nearly as bad as this one. This was my worst effort to finish off an event.”

Furyk has done little to indicate a bounceback from his meltdown at Akron and little to convince US Captain Davis Love III that he deserves a spot on the team.

A recent article by the Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner indicated that if the Ryder Cup qualification process had continued after last week’s Barclays Championship, Furyk would be out of the top four players not in the team on merit (nos. 9-12 in the points list).

Instead he’d be in 14th, behind Hunter Mahan, Brandt Snedeker, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, and Rickie Fowler.

With so much youthful exuberance around and Medinah set to play a brute to accommodate the Americans’ prodigious length off the tee, it is apparent that Furyk must do something big before Love makes his selection on 4 September.

For, at the moment, he is danger of being forgotten about in a swathe of flat-rimmed hats, orange Puma shirts and, more importantly, good play when it matters the most.

If the Picks Took Place Now…

Jose Maria Olzabal, the European Ryder Cup captain, has in his hands the destiny of two of Europe’s top golfers. He must decide who he takes to Medinah after this week’s final qualifying event, the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

DSC_8680, a photo by rgusick on Flickr.

Sergio Garcia’s rousing victory at the Wyndham Championship last week assured his spot in the twelve-man team. While it could be said that this makes Olazabal’s decision somewhat easier — was he ever really going to leave out a fellow Spaniard? — he still has to fill the void currently precariously occupied by Ian Poulter and Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts.

If you were Olazabal and you had to make your choice today, who would be your 2012 Ryder Cup European wildcards?

It seems likely that the energetic, confident Poulter is guaranteed a pick after his fine performance at the PGA Championship, where a sparkling front-nine that unfortunately fizzled out on the back still gave him a tied-3rd finish.

Pipping him into second place, however, was the little mentioned David Lynn. The man from Billinge recently admitted he made a mistake not playing the Wyndham Championship.

‘I said I was going home. I was prepared for being out there (in America) for one week, not two, and I’m a bit like that when I get something in my head,’ he told the Liverpool Echo.

‘I actually got a lift with Padraig Harrington to New York on his private plane and he was asking me why on earth didn’t I go.’

It seems Lynn may have kissed his chance at a Ryder Cup debut goodbye, especially with Colsaerts playing this week at the Johnnie Walker.

An admirable tied-7th at the Wyndham means the big-hitting Belgian may not even have to rely on Olazabal: a win or second place at Gleneagles would mean Colsaerts leapfrogs Martin Kaymer — who has not had a top-10 finish in the last four months and opted not to play the Johnnie Walker — into the final qualifying spot.

With so many scenarios and possibilities still in play with just one tournament to go, Olazabal’s decision is anything but easy.

Olazabal’s dilemma: Ryder Cup picks

The Ryder Cup may still be six weeks away, but European captain Jose Maria Olazabal faces one of the toughest decisions of his career. For two there will be joy and ecstacy; for others there will be despair and the gut-wrenching, empty feeling that comes from knowing they will be reduced to watching from the sidelines.

The captains’ picks always provide the headlines in the build-up to the biggest event in team-golf and the qualification process for the Europeans ends next Sunday, after the final round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. It is then that Olazabal must decide who is worthy of a place in his team.

Those on the verge of selection can gain inspiration from the story of Edoardo Molinari, who, in 2010, produced a stunning final-round charge to not only win that tournament but prove to then-captain Colin Montgomerie that he was deserving of the wildcard selection.

But in order to maintain the equilibrium in this most volatile of games, one’s success must be offset by someone else’s failure. And so we turn to this year’s Ryder Cup.

Ian Poulter, following his tied-third finish at last week’s US PGA Championship, snuck into the top-10 automatic qualification spots, thus nudging aside Spain’s Sergio Garcia. Poulter has been an important visible presence in past Ryder Cups and one gets the sense that even if he loses his automatic qualification spot, captain Olazabal will give him the nod.

That leaves one spot to be decided by El Capitan and this is where it gets tricky. If Olazabal were to abide by the most democratic method and use his final pick on the first player to miss out on an automatic spot, then that would, as the current standings have it, go to Sergio Garcia.

Garcia is one spot shy of automatic qualification via the world points list (from which the top five play their way in, and the European points list, from which the top five there also make the team), but his form this year suggests certain skeletons linger in the closet of undoubtedly one of the world’s most natural talents.

His best finish in a major in 2012 was a T-12 at the Masters, and over the firm Open links ground his game looks to have been moulded, he missed the cut. There is no doubt his putting has improved but it hasn’t manifest itself tangibly in the form of victory in 2012.

Still, the Spanish blood that bonds Olazabal and Garcia is likely to count for more than stats and victories. Olazabal hasn’t exactly been coy about his preference for Garcia: “You’ve seen him play a Ryder Cup,” said the skipper. “He’s a great team player. His spirit is always really good. And in that regard, I think he’s a great asset to the team. He has obviously the experience, the knowledge.”

Garcia is playing in the Wyndham Championship in America this week and could still leapfrog Poulter to grab a place in the top-10.

But Garcia faces competition from the hungry, young Belgian, Nicolas Colsaerts. It has, in many ways, been a break out year for the big-hitter. A third place finish at the Sicilian Open preceded a second place at the Volvo China Open (which he won in 2011) and a triumph at the Volvo World Matchplay Triumph, his second title on tour.

Colsaerts is laid-back about his prospects of making the team despite declaring playing in the Ryder Cup has been something he has wanted to do since he could walk. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Colsaerts, too, could play his way in, but he would need to overtake Garcia and Poulter.

Perhaps the most intriguing case if that of Padraig Harrington. The three-time major winner has been MIA for large parts of the season, but has still managed to reel off some fine finishes, including a top-10 at the Masters and a fourth place finish at the US Open. Despite these positive signs, his usual rock-solidness on the short putts has been replaced by edginess and doubt. And it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“I’ve played with him a couple of times during this year. From tee to green, his game has been fairly good, but I think his putting has let him down this year so far,” was the opinion of the man whose opinion only really matters: Olazabal.

The Spaniard’s words, at the moment, seem to suggest that Harrington hasn’t done enough to convince the captain he’s worthy of a place. Still, the Irishman has some encouragement in the sense that Martin Kaymer — currently 9th — hasn’t had a top-10 since April. Should Kaymer get dislodged from the automatic berths, it is unlikely Olazabal would grant him a pick.

Harrington will have to do something special to convince Olazabal, but, playing against an American team which holds two of this year’s four majors, wouldn’t it be beneficial for Europe to have someone with three of his own?

Pugh pips Frazer to European Amateur title as Welsh duo complete the one-two

Rhys Pugh fired a super final round 66 (-6) to win the Chartis Europe sponsored European Amateur Championship at Carton House Golf Club, Ireland. Pugh’s four round total of 277 (-11) was good enough for a one shot win over fellow countryman, Pennard’s James Frazer.

Rhys Pugh celebrates his victory in the International European Amateur Championship. Picture by Pat Cashman

Pugh started the day eight shots behind the lead of Sweden’s Pontus Widegren, but the star of last year’s Walker Cup lit up a windswept Montgomerie course and produced the lowest round of the day by three shots.

Pars at the first two holes were followed by a birdie two at the third and another at the par-four fifth. A bogey at six was sandwiched in between a birdie at seven and another at the par-five eighth to make the turn in 33.

Rhys Pugh hits an iron shot en route to a closing round of 66 (-6). Picture by Pat Cashman

A bogey came at the 13th but sensing he hadn’t lost his chance the East Tennessee State University student stepped up and stiffed an eight iron on the par-five 15th, tapping-in for the simplest of eagles. The par-four 16th was reduced to three shots when he drained a ten footer and a clutch up-and-down for birdie on the 72nd hole gave him a 66.

Having teed off 90 minutes before the final group, Pugh was subjected to a torturous wait upon the completion of his round. Threatening from behind was Wales teammate and new owner of the course record on the Montgomerie after yesterday’s 62 (-10), James Frazer.

Following up a low round is always tough and, despite making the turn in a solid one under-par 35, Frazer nearly let the championship slip from his grasp were it not for birdies at 15 and 17 to counteract the bogeys made on the 10th, 11th, and 14th holes.

James Frazer hits his opening tee shot in the final round of the International European Amateur Championship. He finished one behind Rhys Pugh. Picture by Pat Cashman

He reached the 18th tee knowing only an eagle would be good enough to catch Pugh. A monstrous drive left only a gap wedge in, but the resulting 20 footer was left a roll short of dropping, thus confirming Pugh as the champion.

An elated Pugh said afterwards: ‘I always thought I could do it. I really like the golf course, it sort of suits me. It’s quite long and I’ve been hitting it a bit further lately. I thought I’d have to shoot 63, 62 to have a chance but it was a little bit windy so it was tougher.’

Pugh credited his new-found distance to the gym programme he follows at university in America. It meant he was able to comfortably negotiate the 7,300 yard course and not get intimidated by nature on a blustery final day.

Similarly impressive was Pugh’s ability not to get overawed by the situation and to keep his head en route to what he called the ‘biggest win of my career.

Rhys Pugh shows off some contortions in the final round of the International European Amateur Championship. Picture by Pat Cashman

‘I looked at the scoreboard after nine holes and thought I had a chance if I could pick up a few more. The field was coming back a bit and I was four behind Gonçalo Pinto on eight under. I was thinking if I can get it to 11 or 12 under I might be fine. When I came in, I was leading by two.’

In the end it was only Frazer who had a realistic chance of catching the young Welsh wizard. In the final group Widegren struggled to a 77 (+5) and Portugal’s Goncalo Pinto could manage only a 76 (+4). Ireland’s Kevin Phelan and Dane Thomas Sorensen performed admirably but couldn’t better 72 hole scores of 280 (-8) and 279 (-9) respectively.

‘If someone had said to me at the start of the week that I would finish second on ten-under I’d have bitten their hands off. It’s the first time I’ve made the cut in this event, it’s my fourth time playing in it,’ said a philosophical Frazer afterwards.

‘I spoke to Shane Lowry after the practice round and he said that level par would be a good score around here but, no it’s been a great week and a Wales one and two.’

The third member of Team Wales to make the 54-hole cut was recent Welsh Amateur champion Jason Shufflebotham, but a closing 77 (+5) saw him tumble down the leaderboard to finish tied 25th.

Still, there was no denying that the star of the show was Pugh. Not only does this victory confirm him as the first Welsh winner of arguably the biggest strokeplay prize in all of amateur golf, but it also guarantees his place in next year’s Irish Open and Open Championship — his first major experience.

‘It’s been my dream to play in the Open Championship since I started golf,’ admitted Pugh. If the wind blows at Muirfield like it did today at Carton House, then look out.

Frazer’s course record 62 propels him to within European championship lead

James Frazer had what he called the ‘best round of his life so far’ in an epic course record 62 (-10) in the third round of the International European Amateur Championship at Carton House, Ireland.

Frazer started the day 11 shots behind 36 hole leader Daniel Jennevret of Sweden. But his sensational round — in which he played his last five holes in six under-par — briefly sent him to the top of the leaderboard. Frazer’s 62 was the lowest round of the day by three shots and required just 22 putts in the process.

James Frazer celebrates his course record 62 in the third round of the International European Amateur Championship at Carton House, Ireland. Picture by Pat Cashman

A 40 foot birdie putt that dropped at the first sent the man from Pennard on his way, and after converting a 12 footer for birdie on the fourth, stiffing a pitching wedge to a foot on the sixth, and draining a fifteen foot birdie putt on the par-five eighth, he was out in a skimpy 32, four under-par.

A dropped shot at ten did little to derail his momentum and he bounced back immediately on the difficult 11th when a 45 foot birdie putt found the bottom of the cup. Solid pars followed on 12 and 13 before another birdie putt dropped on the par-four 14th. A huge drive on the par-five 15th left just a five iron to the green, the resulting eagle putt shaved the hole from 15 foot but the tap-in birdie was good.

James Frazer booms one off the 18th tee en route to a closing eagle in the third round of the International European Amateur Championship. Picture by Pat Cashman.

A gap wedge second shot to the 16th left another fifteen footer which he duly converted and the one putts kept coming as an eight footer dropped on the par-three 17th. A big drive up 18 left a seven-iron from 192 yards, which landed 30 feet from the hole and was unlucky not to roll back down the tier.

Still, by now Frazer was untouchable and, although he admitted to aiming only to lag the putt close enough for a tap-in, hit what he described as the ‘perfect putt,’ which dropped for an eagle and provided the finishing touch to an exceptional round.

However, Frazer was far from the only Welsh player to perform well on a tricky third day on the Montgomerie course at Carton House. Despite being four over-par after 13 holes, Jason Shufflebotham birdied three of the last four to rescue a round of 73 (+1) to leave him with a faint chance of catching Sweden’s Pontus Widegren, the leader at 13 under-par.

Shufflebotham will start the final round tied ninth, two spots in front of Rhys Pugh, who added a third round level-par 72 to his earlier efforts of 68 (-4) and 71 (-1). Bogeys on the first, fifth, and sixth were corrected with birdies at four, eight, and nine, but Pugh was unable to find anything other than pars on the back nine.

Luke Thomas knew he needed a good round to have any chance of making the 54-hole cut, and though his third round 74 (+2) was a valiant effort, he came up short, finishing at six over-par, four above the projected cut line. Also going to miss the cut is David Boote, who is 16 over-par altogether after 12 holes of his third round.

Frazer on fire in third round 62 at European Amateur

James Frazer reignited his International European Amateur Championship hopes with an astonishing third round 62 (-10) on the Montgomerie course at Carton House, Ireland. Frazer’s new course record has catapulted him into a tie for the lead.

Opening rounds of 71 and 74 had Frazer at +1 and 11 shots behind the lead of Sweden’s Daniel Jennevret after 36 holes. But after today’s obliteration of the 7,300 yard course the man from Pennard has jumped into a share of the lead at -9 along with Jennevret and Denmark’s Thomas Sorensen, who have just started their third rounds.

His round started with a birdie at the par-four first, and followed with further birdies at the fourth, sixth, and eighth, which had him out in four under-par 32.

Welshman James Frazer shot a third round 62 (-10) at the International European Amateur at Carton House. He is currently tied for the lead with Daniel Jennevret (Sweden) and Thomas Sorensen (Denmark). Picture by Pat Cashman.

A bogey on the 10th was immediately righted with a birdie on the notoriously difficult 11th. It was then that Frazer got hot, birdieing the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th holes, before driving the dagger into the heart of the Montgomerie course with an eagle three on the 18th. He played his final five holes in six under and one-putted the last eight greens.

Frazer’s round of 62 is the lowest of the week by two strokes and sees him top of the stats in most eagles (1), most birdies (17), most holes better than par (18), and best par-four average score (3.80).

Shufflebotham ready to pounce with two rounds to go

There was no let up in the stellar play of Prestatyn’s Jason Shufflebotham as he added a second round three under-par 69 to yesterday’s 68 at the International European Amateur Championship at Carton House, Ireland.

For the second day running, the current Welsh Amateur champion went out in three under-par 33 after birdies on the par-four first, and par-five fourth and eighth holes. Again he bogeyed the par-four eleventh — the second hardest hole on the course with a 4.39 average — but bounced back with a birdie on the 13th. Pars over the remaining holes saw him sign for a 69, and a 36-hole total of -7.

Jason Shufflebotham fired a second round three under-par round of 69 to put him in a great position with two rounds to go at the International European Amateur Championship at Carton House, Ireland.

Shufflebotham sits in tied fourth spot with Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, three behind the lead of Sweden’s Daniel Jennevret, who added a two under-par 70 to yesterday’s sensational 64.

Daniel Jennevret (Sweden) leader after the second round of the Chartis Europe sponsored European Amateur Championship at Carton House Golf Club today (09/08/2012). Picture by Pat Cashman

Rhys Pugh’s second round ended well as he exacted revenge on the par-five 18th hole, which cost him a bogey yesterday. A birdie four today meant he crept under par for the day, a one under-par 71 leaving him tied eighth, five under-par overall, and still in contention.

Pennard’s James Frazer had plenty of birdies in his second round, but unfortunately dropped six shots which meant he had to settle for a two over-par 74, and a two round total of 145, one over-par.

A poor front nine was almost put right by Luke Thomas, as he birdied three of the last four holes to come home in three under-par 33. The 73 he signed for leaves him at four over and with an outside chance of making the 54-hole cut.

Tee times for round three:
James Frazer – 07:20
Rhys Pugh – 10:30
Jason Shufflebotham – 10:50
Luke Thomas – 12:20
David Boote – 15:20

Shufflebotham, Pugh, and Frazer all under par at European Individual

Jason Shufflebotham and Rhys Pugh fared the best of the Welsh contingent on the Montgomerie Course, with each firing four under-par 68s at the International European Amateur Championship at Carton House, Ireland.

Shufflebotham established a nice early rhythm with birdies at the second, fourth, and sixth, but derailed his momentum with consecutive bogeys on the 10th and 11th holes. However, a birdie at the par-five 15th was the first of three in a row, which saw him home in one under-par 35.

Pugh matched Shufflebotham’s score on the front nine by birdieing the first, fifth, sixth, and eighth holes, but dropped a shot at the par-five fourth. He got to five under after a birdies at the par-four 13th and par-five 15th holes, but dropped a shot on his final hole of the day, the par-five 18th — the second easiest hole of the day.

Rhys Pugh (Wales) competing in the first round of the Chartis Europe sponsored European Amateur Championship at Carton House Golf Club today. Picture by Pat Cashman

Shufflebotham and Pugh finished the first round tied fifth along with eight over players, four shots behind the lead of Sweden’s Daniel Jennevret, whose flawless round of eight under-par 64 left him two clear of second placed Garrick Porteous (England) and Thomas Pieters (Belgium).

James Frazer’s first round appeared a case of what could have been. Three under-par after 11 holes, he could find only one more birdie at the par-four 13th. Bogeys on the 12th, 14th, and 16th almost squandered all of his good early work. Still, a one under 71 has left him tied 30th and in a good place with two rounds to go before the 54-hole cut.

Luke Thomas and David Boote both struggled to over-par rounds. Thomas arrived on the 16th tee at one under but a disastrous quadruple bogey eight on the par-four sent him hurtling to three over and he finished with a 75.

Boote’s shaky start was righted somewhat with a birdie at the par-three seventh, but a double bogey on the 10th followed by another dropped shot at the difficult 11th ended hopes of a comeback and saw him sign for a five over-par 77.

Tee times for round two:
David Boote – 08:10
Luke Thomas – 10:45
James Frazer – 11:20
Rhys Pugh – 12:20
Jason Shufflebotham – 13:15

A strong contingent from Wales head to Ireland for the European Amateur

Five Welsh golfers will compete in the International European Amateur Championship at Carton House Golf Club, Ireland. The team of James Frazer, Rhys Pugh, Jason Shufflebotham, David Boote, and Luke Thomas hope to provide Wales with their first winner of the event.

Being held in Ireland for the first time, the European Amateur Championship is one of the standout events on the amateur calendar. In its 25th year of playing, however, the relative domination of the European players over GB&I is evident: There have been just seven winners from these shores, the last being Rory McIlroy in 2006.

Although the size of the Welsh team is dwarfed in comparison to the representatives sent by England, Ireland, and Scotland, the current form of the Welsh squad should stand them in good stead.

Jason Shufflebotham recently became the first man since Llewellyn Matthews in 2003-04 to successfully defend his Welsh Amateur title. David Boote followed victory at the St. David’s Gold Cross with a solid showing at the South of England Open Amateur Championship.

Pontypridd’s Luke Thomas was joint-winner of the Duncan Putter, and his consistency throughout the season has been matched by James Frazer, who claimed the weather-shortened Tucker Trophy before finishing as best Welshman at the South of England.

And Pugh — one of the stars of last year’s Walker Cup — has performed well in the big events this year, reaching the last 32 of the British Amateur and finishing as top Welshman at the St. Andrews Links. He also has good memories of Irish soil having captured the Irish Amateur Open last year.

Competition will be stiff, however. Of the 144 players taking part, Netherlands’ Daan Huizing is the highest ranked player: He currently sits at third in the world amateur rankings having had runaway victories at this year’s Lytham Trophy and St. Andrews Links.

Similarly, Irish hopes will be pinned on reigning British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar. He will lead the 16-strong Irish team and hope to pip last year’s winner, Austria’s Manuel Trappel, who hopes to become the first player to win the title in consecutive years.

The soft conditions underfoot and promising forecast (16-21 degrees Celsius and little wind) should promote aggressive play and low scoring around the Colin Montgomerie-designed course, but may favour long hitters, especially if it’s played at its full 7,300 yards.

Should the typically tumultuous summer weather lay siege to fine conditions then expect a clustered leaderboard rife with Europe’s best players battling it out for European Amateur honours and the added bonus of a place in next year’s Open Championship.

Tee times for round one:
James Frazer – 07:10
Rhys Pugh – 08:10
Jason Shufflebotham – 09:05
David Boote – 12:20
Luke Thomas – 14:55

Updates on the European Amateur can be found here and via my Twitter (@samamam)

Shufflebotham successfully defends Welsh Amateur crown

Jason Shufflebotham became the first person since Llewellyn Matthews in 2003-04 to retain the title of Welsh Amateur champion. Shufflebotham’s 1 up victory over Oswestry’s Will Jones came despite being 5 down after the first 18 holes.

Jones’ fine play in the morning round saw him 6 up playing Royal St. David’s par-3 final hole, but Shufflebotham dug deep to claw one back and give him some semblance of hope going in to the afternoon 18.

‘I was 5 down through 18 but I won the 18th which I felt kept me in the match,’ said the man from Prestatyn.

As any player knows, the second round of a 36-hole contest is an entirely different situation. Perhaps learning from his mistakes in the morning round, Shufflebotham said that for the second 18 he was ‘ready from the get go.’

He managed to apply early pressure but the resolute Jones responded by holing some clutch putts for the half. Still, after 27 holes Shufflebotham had managed to reduce the deficit to two. He went 1 up after the 13th — winning the hole with a bogey after Jones got tangled up in the Harlech rough — but gifted it back on the notoriously difficult 14th with a bogey.

Both players threatened for birdie on the 16th but couldn’t convert. It seemed as if Jones was about to reclaim the lead heading to the final hole before Shufflebotham hit what he described as ‘probably the best shot of my life.’

A poor drive into the rough off the 17th fairway saw Shufflebotham left with 240 yards to the sanctity of the green, but, undeterred, he proceeded to smash a majestic hybrid to 15 feet.

Jones failed to find the green and his chip left him with a tricky six footer for par. But Shufflebotham’s miss paved the way for the man from Oswestry to confidently knock in his par-saver and leave the match in the balance headed to the last hole.

Jones was unable to create the same magic on the 36th hole, however, taking three from off the green while Shufflebotham two-putted from 40 feet.

The winner said it felt ‘unbelievable’ to defend his matchplay title. In a testament to Jones’ sterling effort throughout the final, Shufflebotham admitted that he felt almost like he ‘stole victory.

‘It was a well fought battle and an emotional rollercoaster,’ said the elated champion, who joins an illustrious group of names who have managed to defend the Welsh Amateur Championship.