Marsh draws on match play expertise for EuroPro stroke play glory

Marsh claimed victory in the Dawson & Sanderson Classic last Friday on the fourth hole of a sudden-death play-off at Longhirst Hall, in Northumberland.

This followed him having played his final round of three alongside his co-leader after 36 holes, Nick Watson (Stoke Rochford), in circumstances that had the feel of match play.

And Marsh, who banked £10,000 with his victory, believes his experiences as an amateur – and in particular his English title success – played their part in helping him hold his nerve.

“I think winning the English men’s title certainly helped me,” said Marsh, who has risen to second in the EuroPro Tour’s order of merit, the Race to Amendoeira.

“It was a match play situation and I’ve played loads of match play events – British amateur, English amateur, Spanish amateur as well. You just try not to do anything silly and try to give yourself an opportunity to beat your opponent – not lose it yourself.”

Having missed a 15ft birdie putt for the title on the first extra hole after his play-off rival, Ireland’s Brendan McCarroll, had got up and down for his par, Marsh’s nerve was tested at the next, the 18th, when he drove behind a tree.

He chipped sideways, made his par with a fine chip and one-putt and then, after he and McCarroll both parred the 17th for a second time, former Yorkshire county player Marsh holed an 18ft birdie putt at their fourth extra hole to take the title.

“I think at any golfing level, whether you’re an amateur or a professional, getting your first win is hard,” reflected Marsh, whose form going into the event near Morpeth had raised his belief that the breakthrough was only a matter of time.

“I was second at Montrose (in the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters last month), and I knew I’d been playing well. I thought a big week was just around the corner although, to be fair, I didn’t play my best golf in Northumberland.

“In the last round I shot one over. Although it was very windy, there were times in the round where I got frustrated because I knew I wasn’t playing my best. But I stuck in there and managed to get the job done.”

Marsh has a week off before heading to Wales for the Cobra Puma Championship in Wales, the first of four EuroPro events in a row.

“Travelling can get quite hectic at times,” he reflected. “We’ve been to Scotland, Wales, down to Sussex. It does take it out of you a bit and it can drain you mentally as well.

“But I love it. I’ve done it throughout my amateur career so obviously I’m quite familiar with it.”

Marsh has talked with his father David about his standing on the order of merit – his winnings total just over £16,500 – and they believe he is an approximate £9,000 away from earning one of the Challenge Tour cards that will go to the the top five at the end of the season.

“We think I need about another £9,000 on the board to get a top-five place at the end of the season,” said Marsh. “It gets quite tense towards the end though because the final event is worth double points, double prize money, so you can get guys who are seventh, eighth going into it and if they have a great week they might overtake you.

“My goal now is to give myself every opportunity to finish in that top five and then I’ll try to win a European Tour place at Q School.”

Marsh’s elevated status as a winner on European golf’s third tier did not steer him away from his usual routine of a Sunday round of golf with Huddersfield GC members Graeme Brodie, Derek Barnett and Jake Hamilton.

Their friendly weekend rivalry was a long way from the tension of the climax at Longhirst Hall, where Marsh played the last hole initially thinking a birdie would secure him an outright win.

“It was quite nerve-wracking, said Marsh. “I got told by my mum (Joanne), who was walking round with me, that I needed a birdie at the last to win.

“I hit my drive down the middle, had about 110 yards left, and hit a half wedge to about three feet. Then as I was walking onto the green my mum told me I needed the birdie to get into a play-off.

“So the pressure got a little bit more, but I managed to pop it in and four holes later I had the trophy. Mentally that three-foot putt looked a bit longer after knowing it was for a play-off place, but it went straight at the back of the hole.

“I had about a 15-minute wait before the play-off. I had to check my scorecard carefully, obviously, and then we headed back down 17.

“We went straight to it, and I didn’t hit any balls in between. The organisers wanted to get it played pretty quickly because it was already late as it was, and it was getting darker. It started to rain during the presentation.”

Victory meant Marsh had met his pre-season target and he believes an improved short game helped him reach his goal.

“My short game around the green has been a lot tighter,” he said. “My chipping and putting’s been good, and my iron play has always been good.”

Having broken into the winners’ circle, few would bet against Marsh emulating the likes of Howley Hall’s Marcus Armitage and Woodsome Hall’s Chris Hanson by rising all the way to play among the continent’s elite golfers on the European Tour.