Fitzpatrick underlines potential by claiming Boys title

Sheffield’s Matthew Fitzpatrick produced a magnificent display of controlled golf to defeat Welshman Henry James by 10&8 in the 36-hole final of the 86th Boys Amateur Championship at Notts Golf Club.

The 17-year-old English boys international, from Hallamshire Golf Club, was an approximate six-under-par and found himself nine up at the half-way stage.

He then played the next 10 holes in one-under to complete what was the most lop-sided final since TR Shannon defeated Sandy Lyle by 10&9 at Royal Liverpool in 1974.

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“It was the best I have hit the ball all week,” said Fitzpatrick who won the North of England Under-16 title in 2010 and started this season with a victory in the Selbourne Salver.

“I felt in total control in the morning, but I have to admit I felt a little bit apprehensive after lunch.

“I was so far in front that I think I might have started off a bit too defensively, but once I got to 10-up on the sixth I settled down and played some pretty good golf after that.

“I must admit I feel a bit for Henry,” he added.

“He just couldn’t get the ball in the hole and that’s always what makes the difference in matches like these.”

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* Sergio Garcia was still holding a one-stroke lead when play was suspended in the final round of the Wyndham Championship at Greensboro in North Carolina yesterday.

Heavy rain flooded parts of an already saturated Sedgefield Country Club with Garcia, needing a top three finish to move back into a qualifying position for the Ryder Cup, standing 15-under-par just short of the fifth green.

The 32-year-old Spaniard, without a victory in America for four years, birdied the short third from five feet.

South African Tim Clark had twice caught him with birdies at the second and fourth, but then ran up a bogey six at the long next to fall back alongside Americans Jason Dufner and Bud Cauley.

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Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, still in with a chance of automatic selection for Europe, moved from 17th into a tie for fourth by going to the turn in a three under 32, but a bogey at the par three 12th saw him slip back to joint ninth.

Unlike Garcia, Colsaerts is also playing the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles starting on Thursday.

That is the final counting event before 10 players qualify and captain Jose Maria Olazabal adds two wild cards.

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