WARING CROWNED ENGLISH CHAMPION - 1st Aug 2005

Paul Waring is the English Amateur champion. He won the title in front of his own members at his own club of Bromborough when he defeated Cheshire county colleague Steven Capper 3 and 2 in the 36 hole final.

After the morning round in which Capper led for most of the way but finished all square, it seemed the battle would go all the way and possibly beyond the 36 holes. But despite trailing again after six holes of the afternoon, Waring won five of the next seven to take a firm grip. Capper, the 17 year old England boy international, couldn’t find the birdies that had illuminated his play before lunch while the breaks also failed to go his way.

Although Waring fell behind again when he tangled with trees and conceded the par four 23rd, it was a birdie-four at the 25th that got him back on terms and he also won the next when Capper drove out of bounds. But the major turning point came at the par three 28th where Waring holed from 40 feet for birdie and Capper missed from much closer. That put Waring two up and he was three ahead after the long 29th where he got up-and-down superbly from sand while Capper three-putted from the front fringe, missing from three feet for a half.

The end was in sight and it got closer at the par four 31st where Waring went four up, again getting up-and-down from a greenside bunker while Capper failed to match him after chipping poorly from behind the green. Although Capper won the 33rd when Waring’s long par putt finished inches away, a half in threes at the short 34th brought a shake of hands.

“This is unbelievable,” said Waring. “And to win the title in front of my mum and dad and the members at my own club is the icing on the cake. I started the final poorly but got better and better. I knew I had to grind it out and to keep fighting and it came off. But it was my short game that did it for me."

“Also I never got ahead of myself and I have to thank my caddie and best friend Duncan Robertson for that. I caddied for him when he won the club championship here so he owed me for that. Credit to Steve. He was on fire this morning and I had to be sure I didn’t panic. He is a fighter and never gave up.”

Capper, who is in the England team for next week’s Boys Home Internationals at Woodhall Spa, said: “I gutted but I’m happy for Paul. He’s been dogged by injuries and he needed something like this. The turning point was that long putt on the tenth. If it hadn’t gone in the ball would have rolled eight feet past.”

Related Links

• http://www.englishgolfunion.org

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