David Corben of Hindhead Golf Club in Surrey completed a wire-to-wire victory in the Logan Trophy (the English Mid-Amateur Championship) with a 54-hole total of 6-under-par 210 at Enville GC, west of Birmingham.
A first-round 3-under 69 had left Corben one clear of defending champion Stuart Archibald (Test Valley GC), and a second-round 68 extended his advantage to four shots.
On the final day, Archibald could add only a level-par 72 to finish the week alone in fourth, leaving Craig Simmons (Shifnal GC) and Martin Young (Brokenhurst Manor GC) as Corben’s closest challengers, tied for second at 212.
Simmons had thrashed his way to the turn in 5-under and quickly added two more birdies before a late bogey left him to sign for a 66 and a 4-under clubhouse total. Young matched him with a birdie at the par-5 18th.
Corben had started his Sunday with a pair of early birdies but gave both shots back to the card before the turn. He followed a birdie at 12 with bogeys at Nos. 13 and 14. When his tee shot at 17 hurtled into long grass, he looked in trouble and was forced to hit a provisional. But he found the first ball and saved par.
The leader also was errant from the final tee, finding a fairway bunker, but recovered to make a par and seal a two-shot triumph.
Steven Uzzell (Hornsea GC), the 2008 Brabazon Trophy winner, finished sixth, five strokes behind the winner.
RESULTS
Matt Cooper