Champion Wasteney following same path as Willett and Parry

Daniel Wasteney of Bondhay is the new Yorkshire Amateur champion after a thrilling final with Matthew Fitzpatrick that points to a prosperous future for county golf.

Both Wasteney and Fitzpatrick are teenagers, with the new champion 19 and the young man he defeated on the 36th hole of Saturday’s final at Ganton, just 16.

Wasteney, a wiry figure, only took up golf four-and-a-half years ago.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He is already a regular in the Yorkshire team and this year was capped by the English Union in an international event.

Later this week, he represents the cream of England’s amateurs again at a tournament in Holland.

The last two 19-year-olds to win the White Rose’s premier amateur competition were Danny Willett in 2007 and John Parry two years earlier, both of whom now play professionally on the European Tour.

Fitzpatrick, of Hallamshire, is also destined for a bright future.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A level-headed young man, he is the current England Under-16 captain and has experience of representing his country on the continent.

He made his debut for Yorkshire as a 15-year-old last summer.

Fitzpatrick, who defeated Andrew Wiltshire (Pontefract and District) at the 20th hole in the semi-final, was two up on Wasteney after eight but the Bondhay man struck back with an eagle at the ninth and a birdie at the 10th.

From then until the final hole there was never more than one hole between the two.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fitzpatrick was one up after the first 18 but when the two approached the last hole his tee shot on the 18th finished short of Ganton’s notorious dogleg.

An attempted hook landed in a greenside bunker, while Wasteney kept his composure with two blows that left him just 10 feet away for a birdie.

Fitzpatrick conceded the hole and the match when he came up short with his bunker shot.

“It was a high-class final,” said Yorkshire Union spokesman Keith Dowswell.

Related topics: