Flack attack at Aston Wood

American golfer becomes first amateur to win on Jamega Pro Golf Tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(LONDON, UK 24th August 2015)

 

American golfer Kevin Flack became the first amateur to win a Jamega Pro Golf Tour event with a three-shot victory at Aston Wood on September 21-22.

 

Flack, 25, from Rockford, Illinois, led from start to finish in the West Midlands, posting rounds of 69 and 67 to finish six under par and prove his form ahead of attempted qualifying for the European Tour next month.

 

An aunt and uncle living in Sunningdale provided the ideal English base for Flack, who found tricky conditions to his liking over the two days of competition. “Being from the Chicago area in the Midwest it doesn’t rain as much but it does get gets pretty windy,” he said. “In that sense it is not a tough transition to play in Britain.”

 

Flack tied 12th the previous week at The Players Club in Gloucestershire, and was buoyed by his progression. “My plan is to keep improving leading to Q School,” he added. “I was just trying to work through different things, mainly being able to self-police and keep my confidence through adversity.”

 

When he tees off at Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire next month it will also be his third attempt at making the European Tour. “The first time, I jumped in at the deep end and didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “I didn’t have the game or the mind. Last year I think I had the game, and this year I think I have both.

 

“There’s more travel and expense to play in America and there have been those like Brooks Koepka who have taken the European route before playing the USA PGA Tour and shown it can be done.”

 

Runner-up to Flack, and picking up the £1,500 cheque for first professional was Ben Hall, 22 from Wollaton Park, Nottingham.

 

Hall recovered from a first round 73 to post a best-of-the-tournament 66 on day two including six birdies over an unblemished final 13 holes.

 

“It pretty much rained all through the first round,” Hall said. “I didn’t play well but hit some balls in the evening and worked on simplifying one or two things.

“I then played the percentages and took my chances. My game picked up on the sixth hole where I held a seven-foot putt for birdie and retained the momentum, didn’t make any more mistakes and played the tough holes well.

 

“I saw the scoreboard on the 17th tee and thought if I could make a birdie over the closing two holes I could sneak into second or third, but I didn’t expect to finish first pro.”

 

Flack had led by one-shot overnight from Swindon’s Martin Sell and Bridgnorth’s David James. The latter drew level with Flack at four under par after 14 holes on the second round but the US amateur then birdied the 15th and 16th while James succumbed to a double-bogey six on the 17th to fall out of contention and eventually tie with Sell for third.

 

There is now a fortnight’s break before the Jamega Tour returns to Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire for the second time this season on October 6-7.

 

Final Leaderboard

1st 136 -6 Kevin Flack AM (69, 67)

2nd 139 -3 Ben Hall (73, 66)

3rd= 140 -2

• Martin Sell (70, 70)

• David James (70, 70)

5th 142 Level Tom Fox (75, 67)

6th 143 +1 Steve Gibbs (75, 68)

7th 144 +2 Kieron Fowler (73, 71)

8th= 176 +4

• Jack Hiscock (74, 72)

• Erik Mahany (75, 71)

• Nick Lofthouse (71, 75)

• Jacob Bagshaw (72, 73)

• Sam Watts (74, 72)

 

About Jamega Tour

 

The Jamega Tour was established in 2004 as a fair, open and honest pro golf tour run on behalf of aspiring tournament professionals in southern England. Now in its eleventh year, a series of two-day, 36-hole events provide a competitive challenge for professional and low handicapped amateur golfers.