Michael Smith wins Star City Open
29 Jan 2013 at 19:28 | Published by: Hans | Views: 8208 | News search
UK number 1 Michael Smith wins the 2013 Star City Open (Photo by Marion Homer 2013)
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BMGA News Report
Supplied by Sean Homer
The 2013 British Minigolf Association season got underway with the BMGA Star City Open on Sunday 27th January at the indoor Adventure Island Mini Golf complex at Star City, Birmingham. The three-round, 54-hole tournament was won by the current UK number 1 ranked player Michael Smith (Kent Minigolf Club) with a combined total of 87 (21 under par), 8 strokes clear of his team mate Adam Kelly (the current UK number 2).
Speaking after his victory, Michael said “"I'm delighted to have won the 2013 Star City Open. I came very close to defending my 2011 title last year and it is very satisfying to have won this tournament for a second time. It was particularly pleasing to equal the course record in the second round. I would like to thank Sean and Marion Homer for running the tournament so well and also John Whitehead and his staff at the Lost Island Adventure Golf for hosting the event. I think I speak for all the players who took part by saying it was the perfect start to the 2013 BMGA Tour”
Paul Johnson (the captain of the Midlands Minigolf Club) took third place overall after winning a 6 hole sudden death play off against Tony Kelly (Kent Minigolf Club). Both players finished the event on a score of 11 under par (97 strokes) with Johnson taking third place with an ace at the 6th play off hole. Kelly then contested a second sudden death play off against Kent Minigolf Club captain Sean Homer for the Category 1 aces prize with both players having shot 15 aces across the three rounds. This time Kelly came out on top with an ace at the 2nd hole to secure the play off victory.
The event saw the introduction of new player category splits, a motion voted in at the BMGA AGM held the day before the event. All players who take part in any BMGA events this season will be classed within three categories – Category 1 featuring the top 16 ranked players in the UK, Category 2 featuring players ranked 17 to 32 in the official order of merit (details of which can be found at
»BMGA Order of Merit) and all other players classed within Category 3.
The competition had dedicated prize money for Category 2 & 3 players, ensuring some new faces appearing on the BMGA Prize winners list for the season. John Moore (Midlands Minigolf Club) took the Category 2 title with fellow Midlands player James Trubridge picking up the runner up prize and Chris Jones (London Minigolf Club) won the Category 2 aces prize.
In the category 3 section, Gareth Holmes (London Minigolf Club) won the top prize and Richard Linden (also London Minigolf Club) won the aces prize in a sudden death play-off against Midlands’ junior player Owen Johnson.
24 British Minigolf Association (BMGA) Tour players competed in the event on the 18-hole indoor Lost Hut Trail Adventure Mini Golf course.
BMGA Chairman Sean Homer said “Star City has become established as the traditional BMGA season opening venue and always produces some tremendous minigolf. This year was no exception and with the strength and depth of players we have in the BMGA, 2013 promises to be another superb year for British minigolf. I would like to thank all who played at the event, our Tournament Director Marion Homer for a brilliantly run competition, all the players who helped out on the day and John Whitehead and his team at the course for their superb hospitality. The players and I look forward to returning for the 2014 Star City Open next January.”
» Results » Photo gallery » British Minigolf Association’s Official Strokeplay Order of Merit
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