PATRICK KELLY WINS JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL BY THIRTEEN SHOTS
A Junior Orange Bowl official is flanked by this year's champions Patrick Kelly and Maria Torres.
NEWS RELEASE FROM JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL
By DAVID MACKINTOSH
English U18 boys' stroke-play champion Kelly, 18, from Boston, Lincolnshire went wire-to-wire for a sturnning victory by 13 strokes with a brilliant 72-hole total of 19-under-par 265 over the Donald Ross-designed Biltmore course at Coral Gables, a suburb of Miami.
Torres edged out America's Nicole Morales by a single shot she gained at the 72nd hole.
Torres appeared to have the title well under control,
opening up a 4-stroke advantage by the 14th hole in the final round from Morales, earlier-rounds leader Megan Khang fading under pressure from a balky
putter.
That moment when the pleasure of leading snaps into the
pressure of winning came on the 15th green, where Morales holed a
40-foot par-save and Torres missed for birdie, then followed up with a cast-iron
birdie at the 16th, which Torres three-putted.
The pair drew level at the 17th, again from a
Torres error, but instead of grasping her advantage at the par-five closer,
Morales uncharacteristically pull-hooked her 3-wood approach into trouble and
was unable to get close in four shots--- leaving Torres a short and simple
tap-in par for the title.
“I’m very happy, for me, my coach, my country,” Torres said
excitedly, after checking and rechecking her card, almost in disbelief.
“Every
day I’ve hoped, expected, to make birdie at the last hole and each day I’ve
made a par. Today I really thought I would need a birdie to tie Nicole, but I
get a par again, and I win. It was a big surprise.”
Patrick Kelly began the day with a seven-stroke advantage
and was never in trouble. Even when USA’s Cory Pereira holed out from greenside
sand at the 6th to get within five shots of him, Kelly responded with a birdie of
his own at the 7th, one of his many fine long irons of the
tournament, fired through a 25mile-per hour crosswind to within six feet of
the hole.
Just to emphasise his
triumphant week, one where he overcame severe conjunctivitis and recurring
nosebleeds, the 18-year old Lincolnshire lad, who was beaten in the 2011 British boys' final, concluded his final round with a birdie
on the 17th and a chip- in eagle-3 at the final hole.
“It’s a thrill
and an honour to win this famous event, Kelly said. “I’m delighted.”
Kelly is only the second English-born winner of the JOB boys' title since the tournament started in 1964.
The first was professional's son Ben Parker in 2005.
Very few JOB winners have gone on to fame and fortune. The notable exception is Tiger Woods, winner in 1991.
Mark Calcavecchia was the JOB boys' champion in 1977 and Spain's Pablo Martin was successeful in 2003.
Kelly is only the second English-born winner of the JOB boys' title since the tournament started in 1964.
The first was professional's son Ben Parker in 2005.
Very few JOB winners have gone on to fame and fortune. The notable exception is Tiger Woods, winner in 1991.
Mark Calcavecchia was the JOB boys' champion in 1977 and Spain's Pablo Martin was successeful in 2003.
Argentina’s Jaime Lopez-Riverola claimed outright second
place at 6-under par for the week, while worth noting Kelly’s 19-under par
total of 265 (65-68-66-66) is the second lowest winning score in the 49 years of this
championship.
TO VIEW ALL THE BOYS' FINAL TOTALS
TO VIEW ALL THE GIRLS' FINAL TOTALS
Labels: BOYS AND GIRLS
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