Intense drama as Gross wins gold
The battle for the podium places at the European Amateur Championship in Esbjerg was intense on the final day of competition
Thomas Vennekilde, 23. august 2008
From the left: Richard Kind, Stephan Gross, Morten Ørum Madsen and Luke Goddard
- I’m so happy. I think I’m the happiest guy in the world, said Germanys Stephan Gross after the fourth and final round of the European Amateur Championship, which secured him the goldmedal.
Prior to Stephan Gross becoming the happiest guy on the planet, had gone a day of great golf and close competition.
The names on top of the leaderboard kept changing all through the day, with many players gunning for the topspots. Overnight leader Paul Cutler fell away with two early bogeys and a doublebogey on 9th. Instead Hollands Richard Kind, Denmarks Morten Ørum Madsen and Scotlands Paul O’Hara decided, that they would play catch with the other two guys in the final ball.
Stephan Gross, who was one shot of the lead before the final round, had an uneven start with a couple of bogeys and a couple of birdies, but when he birdied 14th to move two ahead, the championship was his for the taking. But a bogey on the penultimate hole opened the door for his playing partner Luke Goddard.
Goddard had been playing steady golf all day – two bogeys matched by two birdies – and needed a birdie on the final hole to put some pressure on Gross and force a play-off. He went for it, and ended up with a par-putt, that was a bit longer than he perhaps would have liked. His putt stay up, and with it his hopes of a medal.
Stephan Gross made par on the last to secure victory, one shot ahead of Richard Kind. Morten Ørum Madsen finished one stroke further back, level with Goddard, but because the Dane was best on the last 36 holes (68-68) he won the bronze, while Goddard (70-72) finished fourth. Paul O’Haras final 67 gave him fifth place.
Final scores
See pictures from the final round