Yorkshire golf: James Walker's semi-final conqueror Romain Langasque lifts Spanish title

Scott Gregory, left, and Romain Langasque pictured with their trophies after the final of the Spanish International Amateur championship (Picture: Adolfo Juan Luna).

Langasque had required two late chip-ins on Saturday to defeat Yorkshire’s James Walker (The Oaks) at the first extra hole of a sudden-death play-off at RCG Sevilla.

Gregory, from the England Golf A squad and ranked world 110, lost the 36-hole final at the Real Club de Golf Seville 9&8.

But he was upbeat about the overall experience, saying: “I’m disappointed not to have got the win, but Romain is an incredible player.

“This is the first time I’ve got to the final of an international field event, which is a huge positive for me.

“My goal going into the week was to make the match play stages so there’s nothing but positives to take. I putted very well all week and Sunday was just one of those days when nothing really got going.”

The 21-year-old from Corhampton, in Hampshire, was runner-up to Nick Marsh when the Huddersfield GC man won the English Men’s Amateur championship in 2014.

Gregory added: “It was an incredible experience for next time I’m in this position which, with how my form has been of late, shouldn’t be too far away. So a positive week and a lot of things learned about myself and my game.”

He led the English challenge from the start of the championship, qualifying in 11th place for the match play stages where he was joined by six other England players, including Walker and Bedale’s Dan Brown.

Gregory and Walker moved steadily on, reaching the semi-finals in opposite sides of the draw to generate hope of an all-England final.

But despite Walker’s superb effort against Langasque in his semi-final, he eventually succumbed on the 19th hole.

The 21-year-old, who was eighth on the England Golf Order of Merit in 2015, is the son of England men’s coach, Graham Walker.