Senior Amateur

Pernheden and Wooster lead weather affected Seniors at Woodhall Spa

The R&A

11 Jul 23

3 mins

Sweden’s Mattias Pernheden and Sue Wooster of Australia hold the respective leads in the R&A Men’s and Women’s Senior Amateur Championships at Woodhall Spa Golf Club in Lincolnshire. However, Mother Nature was the clear winner on the opening day.

Playing the Hotchkin course, Pernheden closed his round with back-to-back birdies to post a four-under-par 69 and claim the lead, from Ken Brewer of Australia, late in the day. Ken Brewer from Newcastle Golf Club in New South Wales took advantage of the first tee time at 7:30am. He escaped the deluge to post a 3-under-par 70 over the Hotchkin Course to set the clubhouse lead. A lead he still held through two suspensions of play, until Pernheden’s closing birdies. Fellow Australian Sue Wooster, the reigning Australian Women’s Senior Amateur champion, leads the world’s best women by one shot after a level par 73. No Australian has ever won the men’s or women’s R&A Senior Amateur Championships.

Delays in play no problem for Brewer

Heavy rain, thunder and lightning forced two suspensions of play. Waterlogged greens meant the hooter was sounded at 15:12 to allow greens staff to squeegee water off the putting surfaces. That delay lasted 19 minutes. The threat of lightening forced more hooter blasts at 17:02. Competitors were taken off the course for their own safety. Play didn’t restart until 18:45. Brewer missed it all. He was back in his hotel room while Mother Nature was venting her angst, happy with his work over one of England’s finest courses. The 63 year old came a whisker away from breaking 70. His 12 foot birdie putt on the final green just slipped past the hole “I thought I’d made that putt at the last which would have been nice, but I can’t complain,” Brewer said. “I made a few putts, got it up and down a few times, so it was a fair score. I’m very, very happy. I putted really well today.” The retired accountant is making his third appearance in the Senior Amateur, but this is his first appearance on a classic heathland course. “This course is not similar to many courses in New South Wales where I’m from, but there are a lot of similarities to some of the sand belt course around Melbourne because of the bunkering. We don’t have heather and that takes a bit of getting used to. At Newcastle Golf Club, if you hit it two metres off the fairway you’re in the Australian Bush wondering where the snakes are and if the wallabies are looking at you.”

Brewer seeking more wins

Brewer arrived in the UK with two wins under his belt this year, the NSW Senior Classic and the National Senior Masters. However, he’s trying to not to get his hopes up. “I try not to have not to have a lot of expectations. I’m over here with my wife (Lisa, who’s caddying for him) for two weeks. I love coming to the UK. I love coming to this event. Regardless of what happens from here, it’s a great score to start the championship.” American Jack Hall is one shot behind after a 2-under 70 on the Bracken Course. The 66-year-old also finished in a happy mood. He recently returned to competitive action after having his right hip replaced. Scotland’s Maurice Lindsay one-putted the first five greens over the Hotchkin in an estimated 25 putts to shoot 2-under 71. Ireland’s Declan O’Neil and Steven Kelbrick of England joined him with 2-under 70s on the Bracken.

Sue Wooster - Australia

“I haven’t been comfortable with my swing – I’ve been a bit crooked – so my expectations were low. But I think I got back on track today. Hopefully, fingers crossed.”

Wooster leading the women

Wooster, second highest ranked player in the women’s draw behind 243rd ranked compatriot Nadine Gole at 398th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking®, was out in the last three-ball on the Hotchin and saw the worst of the conditions. Delays meant her round took six hours and 58 minutes. “It was a long day, but worth it,” said Wooster, who shares the same golf coach as US Women’s Open winner Alison Corpuz, Palm Springs-based Craig Chapman. Wooster was going along nicely when the first delay came into effect. “I was a couple under after 10 and then that storm hit, and it was torrential rain. When I eventually hit my drive it was into the wind and my drive just went plonk. The conditions turned the hole into a par-5. “Because there had been so much rain the surfaces changed and I probably under clubbed a few times as a result. It’s hard to know how to play shots when the water’s sitting on fairways like that.” Wooster warmed up for this event with a sixth place finish in the European Seniors’ Championship, ninth in the English Senior Women’s Amateur Stroke Play and third in the Scottish Senior Women’s Open. However, she had low expectations when she arrived at Woodhall Spa. “I haven’t been comfortable with my swing – I’ve been a bit crooked – so my expectations were low. But I think I got back on track today. Hopefully, fingers crossed.”

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