29 Sep 2011 at 08:07 | Published by: Squire | Views: 10075 | News search

Marc Chapman, the first British winner in the history of this tournament.  (Photo by KMGC 2011)

The Lost Island Encounter Adventure Golf course at World of Golf, Sidcup, Kent played host to the British Minigolf Association Tour on the 17th and 18th September as 39 players from the UK, Sweden, Germany and Finland competed in the 14th Annual BMGA British Open minigolf tournament.

At the top of the rankings Canterbury’s Marc ‘The Force’ Chapman lifted the trophy with a seven round total of 225(-27), in second place was Oxford’s Michael Smith, with Greenhithe’s Sean Homer in third place. Marc also set a new course record on the Explorers Course by scoring a 27(-9) in his third round of the weekend. In fourth place was Paddock Wood’s Andy Exall, with Cambridgeshire’s Adam Kelly finishing in fifth spot.

New BMGA British Open Champion Marc Chapman said “This is the biggest win of my career so far, and one I've dreamt of winning ever since I started playing in 2008 as it was the only UK event never won by a British player. I have been gradually improving my performances at the two-day events over the last couple of seasons, modifying my approach in the build-up as I learn from past lessons. It's still not perfect, as I dropped a lot of shots over the seven rounds, but luckily I was outscoring everyone with the number of ace's. The performance of all the British players shows the massive improvement in the domestic game since the last BMGA British Open. Michael Smith pushed me to perform at my very best on the closing holes, with my ace at hole15 to pull the scores level, a personal highlight. This win gives me a great confidence boost as we head towards Hastings in October and the World Crazy Golf Championships.”

Other category winners at the two-day tournament were Luke Rooke who won the BMGA British Open Novice Champion Title, beating Tom Roberts by five strokes, with David Donnelly taking the third place novice place. All of the top three novice players reached the top 18 player final round, the first time any novices have qualified for this stage of any British Open. A total of eleven Novice players competed in the event.

In finishing fifth overall Adam Kelly also won the BMGA British Open Junior Title with Brechin, Scotland’s Freddie Blackburn Shaw runner-up and Wandsworth’s Seth Thomas third.

Seth Thomas also won the BMGA British Open Aces Championship, with Mark Davies picking up the Novice Aces Championship for most holes-in-one in the competition.

In the competition all players played four rounds on Saturday, before a ‘cut’ was made to decide the group of players who would play two more rounds on the Sunday. The top 18 players then took part in the seventh and final ‘Super Round’ to decide the final rankings.

BMGA Chairman Sean Homer said “Thanks to everyone who took part, with special thanks to Marion Homer for running the event, Mark Davies, Julie Pring and all the team from World Of Golf for being such great hosts and also to Glenn Martin, the unsung hero of the weekend, who prepared an absolutely top class minigolf course for the Open championship.”

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