Double delight for Chesters

Englishman dominates at the Duke’s to secure back to back European Amateur wins.

ENGLAND’S Ashley Chesters has admitted he is going to have to ‘think’ after becoming the first player to claim back-to-back International European Amateur Championship titles.

The win on the Duke’s Course in St Andrews guarantees the 24-year-old a spot in the Open Championship on the Old Course next summer, but is only available as long as he remains an amateur.

Chesters, though, had been thinking of making the move into the professional ranks and intended to go to Qualifying School in September.

“I’m going to have to think,” he said. “The Open at St Andrews would be hard to turn down, and it’s one of my favourite courses. I enjoyed Hoylake so much, as the Open is so special. I’ve had worse problems (to think about).”

Chesters followed Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Stephen Gallacher and Victor Dubuisson by winning the event last year, and he went one better this year by retaining his title on the Fife coast.

It wasn’t without drama, though, when he teed off on the par-3 17th with a five shot lead, only to four-putt for a double bogey, before making bogey on the last
to win by two.

AMAZING

He continued: “I played good all day, until the last two holes, but I knew I had some shots in hand, thankfully. There are a lot of good names on the trophy and to have won it twice is amazing.”

It was a disappointing event for the Scottish players in the end with none able to make an impact on the top of the leaderboard in the closing stages.

Craigie Hill’s Daniel Young finished as the leading home player on six-over-par in a share of 15th spot. Meanwhile, newly crowned Scottish Amateur champion Chris Robb ended the week in a tie for 29th place on nine-over-par, alongside Dollar’s Scott Borrowman, who carded disappointing scores of 78 and 76 in the closing two rounds to play himself out of contention.

 

Photo: Kenny Smith Photography

In Other News...