In what was a thoroughly deserved and emphatic victory, St Enodoc and Cornwall County Team golfer Joe Cruse became the 2016 Cornwall Amateur Champion at Newquay yesterday. Cruse defeated Ryan Curtis (Bude & N Cornwall) by a convincing 7 & 5 margin in the 36 hole final which was being staged for the 112^th time.

In this his second final Cruse laid to rest the memory of 2010 when he lost to club mate Anthony Nash. This time round Joe is by his own admission a more mature golfer and the win was unanimously popular in every quarter.

The two finalists set off in the morning - see above as Cruse gets the final underway - and halved the first hole but pars at 2 and 3 were good enough for Cruse to gain a 2 up lead. A bogey at the next got him further ahead to 3 up when Curtis was only able to make 6 from the bunker at the front of the tough 4^th hole. The pair shared the next 4 holes but Curtis reduced the deficit to 2 with a birdie on the par 3 9^th. This was important for Curtis as he sought to hang on to Cruse and pars for them both at 10 and 11 kept the Bude player very much in contention. However he fell further behind at 12 with a bogey and at 14 where Cruse made a birdie 2. Curtis now found himself 4 down and that immediately became 5 at the very next hole. Both players made 2s at the par 3 16^th and pars for the pair at 17 and 18 saw Cruse go into lunch with a 5 up lead.

Curtis needed early gains to keep himself in the match but the very first hole of the afternoon round saw him fall further to 6 down when he could not match Cruse’s par.  It would be an uphill battle for him for the remainder of the second 18 holes. The pair played the par 3 second scrappily and Curtis got one back with a bogey 4 but a poor second followed by a three putt at the 3^rd saw Cruse restore the 6 up lead.

That instantly became 7 up when Curtis understandably perhaps went long on the 4^th and found a very awkward lie in the bank at the back of the hole - see above. Although he played a good shot out Cruse was comfortably just off the green and rolled a putt to the hole side which was conceded.

Yet again Curtis missed a makeable putt, something he later reflected on. “I just wasn’t able to get going on the greens and although I had played them well all week, today I struggled overall.”

At the par 4 5^th Curtis made a good up and down from the bunker to halve and the pair then halved the next two holes in par. At the par 5 8^th Cruse pushes his tee shot slightly and found a lie from where he was only able to advance the ball to a point where it hung on the bank beneath the fencing guarding the East west path. After debate with match referee James Rowland, Cruse got the free relief he was entitled to and hit his 3^rd into the heart of the 8^th green. Curtis had hit a good second to the front edge and should have taken advantage. However yet again the flat stick let him down as he raced his birdie butt beyond the hole. Cruse made a comfortable two putt for 5 and when Curtis missed the return the hole had been halved.

Sensing victory and desperate to keep his foot on the pedal Cruse played the 9^th par 3. His tee shot found the putting surface but spun back off the green into one of the guarding bunkers. Curtis found the green nicely to about 25 feet. Cruse then played majestic sand shot to 4 feet. Curtis this time hit a good putt which touched the hole but stayed above ground. Cruse calmly rolled in his 6 footer and maintained his 7 up lead.

Curtis was now having to play aggressively and followed Cruse’s iron to the fairway with driver which came up just short of the green. This was to be his hole though as he delighted the watching Bude supporters particularly by chipping in for eagle and getting back to 6 down. A half on the 11^th kept the match alive but holes were fast running out.

At the 12^th Curtis came within a whisker of holing for 3 with a chip from above the green but again Cruse did not let him off the hook as he made a comfortable par.

The next hole (13) was to prove decisive. Both players hit good tee shots and when Curtis went slightly long left and Cruse followed him to a point pin high left anything was still possible on what is a notoriously difficult putting green. Curtis boldly chipped well from a bare lie and left himself below the hole.  Cruse studied the options and chose putter - see below - and this time to the delight of his family, club members and spectators alike he rolled the ball into the hole for a birdie 3 to seal his victory with real showboating style.

Amateur Champion Cruse (above) embraces fellow finalist Ryan Curtis on winning the title at Newquay yesterday.

Cruse was delighted to win. “I feel great. It was horrible to lose at Trevose in 2010 but it’s strange - at the Cornish Closed a couple of weeks ago I went there thinking I was going to win. Although that didn’t happen I came into this week thinking I would win. The mentality of that has been positive for me and I gained confidence from thinking that way. I knew I was playing well and was never down to anyone in any of the rounds. I got off to quick good starts in all of my matches and through 8 holes was well up in all of them. (2 up on George Leigh, 4 up on Steve Chapman, 6 up on Richard Simmons, 5 up on Sandy Kirton and 3 up on Ryan). Each time though I forced myself to keep my foot on the gas. Today my caddie - Mike Masters - was brilliant. He kept saying to me despite the lead ‘come on we’re all square’ and we carried that forward on each hole. Ryan has played really well this week and I though this morning it wasn’t a birdie making day so I gave myself a number to shoot 69 and that’s what I did. I had a good lead at lunch and just need to keep on doing the same thing. That’s how it played out and obviously to finish the way I did was great.”

CGU President Glyn Rowett presented the Amateur Championship trophy to Cruse in a packed Newquay clubhouse as part of the prize giving of the week long trophy competition. Rowett is pictured above with the two finalists.

Rowett thanked all at Newquay GC for their support and assistance in making the week a successful one and paid particular tribute to Head Greenkeeper Dan Kendle for what he, his other two greenkeepers and many club members had managed to achieve in preparing the course and surrounds after a difficult winter period and a late start to the growing season.

Newquay GC Captain Nigel Eustice - above - thanked the Cornwall Golf Union for being at Newquay saying the club had felt very proud to host. He paid tribute to all those at the club who had helped to ensure the event was a success. He hoped the CGU would return in the years to come.

Joe Cruse thanked those present for their congratulations and also paid tribute to the hospitality Newquay GC had extended. He also thanked the CGU secretary and committee members for their hard work ahead of and during the week.

In concluding matters  County Captain David Kneebone named his 10 man team for the forthcoming South Western Counties Golf Association Week at St Enodoc GC from 4^th - 10^th June. First named was Cruse and the county team will be hoping he can use his local knowledge to good effect there. The Cornwall team are: Joe Cruse, Ryan Curtis, Harry Hall, Matt Richards (West Cornwall), Chris Fleming, Conor Wilson & Sandy Kirton(Perranporth), Richard Jasper (Launceston). Josh Greenaway (Bowood Park) and Rob MacGregor (Tehidy Park). Jared Mortimore (Truro) was named as reserve.

Pictured are those who were present yesterday. together with Glyn Rowett and David Kneebone. Absent: Harry Hall, Conor Wilson and Richard Jasper.

St Enodoc Club Captain David Elliott was obviously delighted with Cruse’s win “The whole club is proud of Joe and the smiles on Bob and Annie’s faces (Joe’s parents) will take a while to wear off this evening. Joe got off yet again to a good start this morning and never let go.  He played very controlled and impressive golf and never let Ryan come back at him. Joe was 6 up coming to the 13th and just as in the semi final finished the game with a flourish holing a very tricky downhill putt from just off the green for a birdie and the match. The game was played in a great spirit which was good to see, well done Joe and Ryan it was golf played as it should be.

Elliott also looked forward to SWCGA Week at St Enodoc. “Having seen most of them play this week we are in for a great treat in June”.