Bower Breezes to Faldo Series Victory at Hollinwell

Jamie Bower of Meltham fired a superb final round 66 to complete an emphatic wire-to-wire victory in the Faldo Series England Midlands Championship at Hollinwell Golf Club. The England squad member, who won a Faldo Series UK Championship at Hollinwell in 2011, led after each of the first two days with rounds of 70 and 71 before closing out victory with a six-under 66.

Bower will now make his long overdue Faldo Series Grand Final debut at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, USA on October 22-24. The 21-year-old missed out on the 2011 Grand Final after he was called up to the England squad.

Tom Cleaton (Rugby) will join Bower at The Greenbrier after holding off a late challenge from Alex Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire) to claim the Boy’s Under-16 title, as will Woolley Park’s Matthew Lees, who won the second extra hole in a sudden death play-off to pip Reece Samson (Worksop) to the Boys’ Under-18 title.

The final two qualifying spots went to Emily Coleman (Trentham), runner-up in the Girls’ division and the winner Ainee O’Connor of Sandridge Park who closed impressively with under-par rounds of 72 and 73.

Supported by The R&A, ISPS Handa, The European Tour and The Greenbrier the 2014 Faldo Series Europe schedule features 17 tournaments in 15 countries including three in England plus others in Abu Dhabi, Ireland, Chile, Wales, Brazil, Scotland, Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and the USA.

Established in 1996, 40 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 30 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year.  Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.

Leading final scores: Boys’ Under-21: 207 – Jamie Bower (Meltham) 70-71-66; 213 – James Allan (Chelmsford) 73-69-71; 215 – Henry Pallas (Hampworth) 71-72-72. Boys’ Under-18: 217 – Matthew Lees (Woolley Park) 72-72-73, Reece Samson (Worksop) 74-71-72; 219 – Oliver Farrell (Evesham) 75-74-70, Matthew Myers (Northamptonshire) 72-73-74 Boys’ Under-16: 223 – Tom Cleaton (Rugby) 71-75-77; 224 – Alex Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire) 75-79-70; 225 – David Bennet (West Lancashire) 72-75-78. Girls: 221 – Ainee O’Connor (Sundridge Park) 76-72-73; 225 – Emily Coleman (Trentham) 74-76-75; 226 – Hannah Holden (Lightcliffe) 74-81-71.

For full scores and results from the Faldo Series England Midlands Championship visit http://www.faldoseries.info/tic/tmtic.cgi.