Hughes wins Seniors Amateur Championship

SUNNINGDALE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 11: Bryan Hughes of Hesketh pictured with The Senior Amateur Championship trophy, after winning The Seniors Amateur Championship at Sunningdale Golf Club on August 11, 2017 in Sunningdale, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bryan Hughes

Bryan Hughes won the Seniors Amateur Championship at Sunningdale, becoming the first Englishman since Roy Smethurst in 2003 to claim the title.

Hughes ended a sequence of seven consecutive wins by Americans in the championship after beating Doug Hanzel and Gene Elliot of the United States and South African Steven Williams by two shots.

The 55-year-old was on the reserve list only one week ago but, after receiving a late entry into the championship, completed the final round with a three-under-par 67 to lift the trophy on a four-over-par total of 214.

His round did not start too encouragingly after he dropped a shot at the tricky par four 2nd but a 30ft birdie at the 5th was followed by two further birdies at the 12th and 15th. A birdie putt from six feet for a four at the par-five 18th helped to set a target that no one managed to match.

For most of the final round American Matthew Sughrue, the runner-up on his debut at Royal County Down two years ago, was in control and led the championship right up until the final three holes.

He fell back into a share of top spot after a bogey at the 16th and then had a disastrous triple-bogey seven at the 17th where he found trouble in the rough and then three-putted. He finished with a five-over-par 75 and in a tie for fifth place on seven-over par overall.

It really was a fairy-tale for Hughes, whose wife, Elizabeth, caddied through the championship that was affected by torrential rain on the opening day. Not only did he get into the championship as third reserve, he posted the lowest score of the final round to claim the title and he will look to defend the trophy at Royal Porthcawl next year.

Bryan Hughes said: “Without doubt, that is the best round of my life. To shoot three under in the last round of a major amateur championship is what you dream about. When I stood over the putt at the last, I thought ‘this is why I play golf to have moments like this’. It was a tremendous feeling when it went in. I still can’t believe it.”

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A graduate of Cardiff University’s highly respected post-graduate magazine journalism course, Andy has successfully edited four different publications across the B2B, trade and consumer sectors. He is skilled at all aspects of the magazine process in addition to editing websites and managing social media channels.