Golf: Andrew Hutton win leaves title rivals so drained!

Aug 14 2011 by Tim Taylor, Sunday Sun

WITH a 17-month-old daughter Olivia, Andrew Hutton does not have as much time as he used to for golf.

However, ahead of the championship at Stockton club Eaglescliffe, he decided to put in a short spell of intensive practice on his short game.

That paid off big time when he won his third title by three shots from runner-up and ex-champion Jim Wharton with rounds of four-under 68 and 72.

The 31-year-old gas fitter and plumber based at Silverlink Business Park in Wallsend, drained everything in sight!

He said: “The greens were in better nick than they had been and I did not miss a thing from ten feet or less.

“It is amazing what a difference that makes to your score.”

Hutton now makes his debut in The Journal Champion of Champions, having missed out in 2008 because he was on holiday.

He is looking forward to catching up with old pals Jonathan Lupton and Jonathan Greenwood – professionals at Close House – when he goes for his free practice round on the Colt Course.

Lupton, The Journal’s Dr Jonathan, dispenses golf advice in our sister paper every Thursday.

Hutton said: “We were childhood friends when we played golf together as Eaglescliffe members.

“I can still vividly remember a day when I was going round the course with him.

“I went round in level-par 72 when I was 12.

“I was the talented one out of the two of us in those days, but he has moved up since.”

An England Boys cap when representing the Brass Castle club in Middlesbrough, Lupton went on to capture both the English and Welsh men’s Amateur Strokeplay Championships.

After turning pro, he landed two national PGA Assistants’ titles and qualified to represent Close House in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Page 2 - House that >>