Stephen Jensen from Cornwall was topped English Senior Males’s Novice champion for a second time in three years after a riveting remaining in opposition to Leicestershire’s Steve Sansome at Brancepeth Citadel on Friday.
In a sensational match, Jensen seemed set to go 5-down whereas heading in direction of the tenth inexperienced, however the 58-year-old produced a miraculous turnaround to win the title on the 18th gap in dramatic trend.
Brancepeth Citadel was in nice situation because the solar shone and the primary two holes of the day noticed each make comfy pars earlier than the primary little bit of drama arrived on the third. Jensen went left, prompting a ball search, and really sadly, the ball was discovered within the quick tough albeit after the three-minute mark, which means he needed to head again to the tee. He ultimately conceded the outlet after Sansome hit the inexperienced in two.
The 4th noticed them halve one other and Jensen ought to have been all-square on the fifth after hitting the inexperienced, however the Trevose man three-putted for bogey when Sansome, from Birstal GC, had hit the bunker and couldn’t get up-and-down.
The lengthy par-5 sixth noticed them halve one other in pars earlier than Sansome received three holes on the spin. Jensen discovered himself blocked out left from his tee shot on 7 and couldn’t get up-and-down for par, and Sansome holed a 12-footer on 8 for birdie. Jensen didn’t make par on the ninth along with his enjoying accomplice seeing his birdie putt nestle proper on the cup, and swiftly he was 4-up.
It seemed prefer it was going to be 5-up on 10 when Sansome (Birstall) hit a high-quality tee shot which left him a 20-foot putt, and Jensen’s tee shot received a depraved bounce off a mound, right-angling beneath a buggy and simply staying in play. Nonetheless, in a outstanding flip of occasions, Jensen made an incredible up-and-down for par to cut back the deficit to 3 holes, as Sansome three-putted.
The 2022 champion then introduced it again to 2-up as he made a regulation par on 11 with Sansome lacking a brief putt, and on 12, Jensen drained a 15-foot eagle putt with Sansome set for birdie.
MOMENTUM SHIFT
Regardless of momentum firmly with Jensen, Sansome caught his strategy on 13 to 2 ft, however the Cornish golfer produced a surprising 25-foot putt to halve it in birdies. Sansome couldn’t fairly get up-and-down for par on 14 after a wayward tee shot, and with the match all-square on 15, the Leicestershire golfer three-putted to go behind for the primary time within the match.
Jensen’s tee shot on 16 rolled behind a tree from which he did properly to recuperate from, and his chip for eagle hit the flag earlier than Sansome’s eagle putt fell simply shy, because the duo halved in birdies once more. On 17 there was extra drama as Jensen discovered lengthy stuff within the timber left and after taking two pictures to get out, he duly gave the outlet to Sansome who had fired one down the center, leaving the match all-square heading down 18.
Each hit high-quality tee pictures on the final, however Jensen confirmed his class and composure along with his strategy, because the ball completed a mere inches from the outlet for the birdie, and Sansome’s 15-footer lipped out to finish a mesmerising match 1-up.
Speaking of his win, Jensen commented: “I’m delighted to be the English champion as soon as once more, it’s all the time an honour to be a nationwide champion, it’s what all of us attempt for and I’ve been very lucky to win it twice within the final three years.
“I’ll be attempting very laborious to make it three in 4 subsequent yr! It’s one of many highlights of the calendar now and I look forwarded to attempting to defend it at Burhill subsequent yr.”
