HARVEY TAKES THE HONOURS
The weekend of the 29th and 30th June saw the 2024 Suffolk Amateur Championship take place at a beautiful Haverhill Golf Club. The sun beamed down on day 1 and the breeze was so gentle but the fast greens and some tricky pins meant scoring would not be easy for anyone wishing to make the cut of top 30 and ties.
From the earlier starters it was Chris Bartrum of Diss who set the pace, his +3 (73) was better than it sounds and he’d now have an extended time as clubhouse leader as he rested for the next day. From the later starters, Dominic Rudd (Woodbridge) and George Fricker (Woodbridge) came in matching the leaders 73. Ben Sayers (Felixstowe) pipped them by one shooting a 72 but it was Taylor Crisp (Woodbridge) who held the lead after day one at Haverhill. Taylors score of 71 led by 1 and was an excellent round, especially considering a lost ball on his first shot.
Unfortunately one of our top 5, Chris Bartrum, had to withdraw before commencing day 2 as he was taken ill.
On day 2 slightly less favourable weather with grey skies and frequent showers didn’t stop last years champion George Fricker charging into a lunch time lead. Georges 68 was the best score of the morning by 4 and he now led by 2 from Taylor Crisp. Reuben Harvey and Ben Sayers were 3 back after respectable mornings.
The sun come out in the afternoon and with it so did Reuben Harvey. With 3 under par through 8 holes and George on a bogey train Reuben now led. Taylor and Ben had now dropped a couple of shots each too and it might have seemed that Reuben was running away with it, however, sneaking up on him was Dan Nicholls who was -2 through 10 holes in his afternoon round.
Just one hole away from each other geographically Reuben and Dan were battling it out and it was now a two horse race. As the players approached the stretch, first blood went to Reuben as Dan found a bad lie and made a bogey on 17. Meanwhile on the 18th Reuben was in the fairway knowing that a par would probably be enough now. The shot reuben hit into 18 under the circumstances just as the wind picked up was nothing short of excellent and whilst a par would have done, a birdie did it in style.
Congratulations to Reuben who now holds both the Suffolk Open and Amateur trophies.
A congratulations also to Sam Debenham who after a strong Sunday picked up the nett prize.
