Golf Shot

Ross Fisher’s 4th European Tour win has put him in an automatic selection position for October’s Ryder Cup. But the English golfer just wants to be the best he can.

We’ve got a video in which Fisher talks about how it felt to edge out local hero Padraig Harrington in last week’s Irish Open and reveals some of his secrets to being a world class player. He also talks about giving back to the community through golf with his involvement in the Putts4Chairty initiative, which raises funds for good causes around the world.

Charlie Lidyard - 2009 Winner

The William Hunt Trilby Tour announces its Regional Championship Venues this week in its UK-wide search to find the next Amateur Golf Champion in a 12-part televised series on Sky Sports.

Created by Menswear Designer and golf aficionado William Hunt of Savile Row, the Trilby Tour aims to find the UK’s top amateur golfer and give him a taste of true Pro stardom with a chance to play head to head against the big boys.

Players from all walks of life will get the chance to feel like a golf tour pro for a day as 9 clubs from across England, Ireland and Scotland host the UK’s biggest Amateur televised golf tournament between May-August 2010.

Amateurs face a white-knuckle tournament in a thrilling one day 18-hole game in what is widely acclaimed to be golf’s answer to Twenty20 cricket.

Players must be over 18 to enter and will be kitted out with everything they need for their experience of pro stardom – each receiving a complete William Hunt outfit, a Callaway Bag and Caddy Suit as part of their £250 online entry to the 12-part televised series on Sky Sports.

Each Regional Champion and Eleven Runners-Up will go through to the Amateur Final held at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club on 11 August, culminating in an exciting 3 hole play-off and a unique Winner Takes All Finale. The top three finalists and regional champions will then be invited back on 12 August to play in the Sky Sports televised Professional Trilby Tour.

The Amateur Champion will the following receive as their prize:

Lessons with top coach David Leadbetter,
An exclusive set of personalized clubs by Roger Cleveland of Callaway
The chance to play head-to-head against the top European Tour pros.

Amateurs will play under the the Stapleford rules with a maximum handicap of 18 with a 3/4 (three-quarter) allowance.

Regional Championships will be taking place at:

8-June The London Golf Club
Kent & South East Championship

30 June – The Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire & West Midlands Championship

6 July – Marriott Sprowston Manor
East of England Championship

12 July – Bearwood Lakes
Berkshire & South Central Championship

22 July – The Park
Avon & South West Championship

28 July – Murrayshall
Scottish Championship

4 August – KP Club
Yorkshire & North East Championship

11 August – The Buckinghamshire
Amateur Final, National Championship

Last year’s Amateur Winner 19yr old Charlie Lidyard from Leatherhead, Surrey says ”The Trilby Tour is the only tournament that makes you actually feel like you’re a Pro Tour player. There are a few nerves when you see the cameras and the people watching. Some of the other guys didn’t like the cameras but it didn’t bother me, I actually loved it.” Lidyard’s triumph was further boosted by going on to achieve every amateur’s dream and turned pro the same day.”

Lidyard went on to play against top pros David Howell and Graeme Storm in the Pro Event: “It was a dream experience to play with the big boys.”

Entries are still pouring in and anyone who signs up now via the website www.williamhunttrilbytour.com will join a waiting list.

A five under par total finish at the LET 2009 Qualifying School at La Manga in December won Hannah Ralph from Sussex, 11th position, top English lady and a Ladies European Tour card for 2010.

Aged 21, Hannah is a niece of Glenn Ralph, the successful Teaching Pro and PGA Senior Tour player.

In a strong field of 118 professional re-qualifiers and amateurs Hannah played three pre-qualifying rounds on the South and North courses over December 15, 16 and 17 at the Spanish club where her +1 combined final score gave her 9th position, comfortably under the +11 cut.

A total of 84 players went on to play in Stage 2 on the South course. After another three rounds Hannah had carded 216, -3 on the scoreboard and 10th position overall. Again well within the cut which was set at +6.

In the final round on 21st December Hannah birdied the 18th to finish two under par 71 and 12th on the day. Scores over the last four rounds are combined to determine final positions and she shot 287 (70 75 71 71) to finish five under par and in 11th place.

A top 30 finish was required to win her a full Ladies European Tour card. Closest UK lady to Hannah was Kym Larratt of Leicestershire who was 25th.

This was Hannah’s second attempt at Q School. At La Manga in January 2009 she failed to qualify for Stage 2. “I learnt so much from the four rounds played and knew what I had to focus on and that with practice I could qualify at the next time of trying,” she said. Over the past year Hannah has worked very hard on her short game and mental approach with Coach Katie Dawkins, the teaching professional at Cowdray Park Golf Club. Hannah’s success this year is a testimony to her efforts. She has won three amateur events, was runner up in the 2009 English Open Mid Amateur and finished in the top five on six occasions.

Conditions at La Manga were interesting to say the least. Players wrestled with strong winds, heavy rain, freezing temperatures and even a sprinkling of snow, interspersed with warm sunshine, clouds and clear blue skies.

Hannah is now looking forward to next year on Tour. The first tournament is in February in New Zealand, closely followed by two events in Australia. Entry to these events largely depends on sponsorship which she is actively seeking at the moment.

Commenting on her momentous year Hannah said: “I have great support from my family, friends, members at Cowdray Park and Katie, without whom I couldn’t have done so well. I am also grateful to my uncle Glenn who taught me for a few years before going on the Seniors Tour. He has helped get me where I am today in my golfing life and is always there for support and advice.”

Just like her uncle, Hannah started playing at Cowdray Park Golf Club when she was eight years old and got her first Handicap in February 1998 aged 10. Her father Graham Ralph has been a member at Cowdray for 35 years.