Hutsby pipped to Amateur crown
Sam Hutsby fell at the final hurdle in his bid to win the British Amateur Championship at Formby.
The Walker Cup hope, from Lee-on-the-Solent, once again served notice of his immense promise on route to reaching the 36-hole final against Matteo Manassero.
Having finished second in the strokeplay qualifying section, Hutsby cantered through the matchplay rounds before his nail-biting semi-final win over Stiggy Hodgson at the 21st hole.
That set the 20-year-old up for a final showdown against 16-year-old Italian prodigy Matteo Manassero.
But in the final, watched by more than 1,000 spectators, Manassero – who led the strokeplay qualifying – edged into a three-hole lead after the first 18 holes.
The pair reached the 16th tee all square after a tight opening, but an untidy bogey from Hutsby and two birdies from Manassero over the final holes of the morning gave the Italian the advantage.
The Italian built on that lead going into the afternoon, reaching the 25th hole six up courtesy of a pair of birdies and some loose shots from Hutsby.
The Liphook-based player, who will turn professional after this year's Walker Cup, produced two consecutive birdies of his own at the 31st and 32nd to reduce the deficit to four holes.
However, Manassero always looked comfortable, eventually sealing a 4&3 victory on the 33rd with a three-foot putt.
He becomes the youngest-ever winner of the tournament and will now accept invitations to both the Open Championship in Turnberry this July, and next April's Masters Tournament.
For Hutsby – England's number one amateur – it was an opportunity missed, although his performance over the event looks likely to cement his place in the GB & Ireland team to face America in September.
But the former News young sportsman of the year was left to rue mistakes in the final.
Hutsby said: 'I didn't sleep much last night, thinking about what this would mean.
'The three holes at the end of the first round really cost me, and I couldn't get my putter going.'
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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