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Whitnell is back on top
DALE Whitnell is celebrating today after regaining top spot in the English Amateur Golf Union's Order of Merit rankings.
The 19-year-old Five Lakes +3.5 handicapper from Tiptree hit the top for the second time this year following an outstanding display at the annual Lytham Trophy over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
Whitnell returned scores of 70+72+73+70 for a four-round stroke play total of 285 to clinch runners-up spot - just one shot behind tournament winner Matthew Haines of Kent. Staged at the west Lancashire championship course of Royal Lytham St Annes, Whitnell's overall score was 15 shots under the competition standard scratch score.
He said: "My first round score of 70 on a perfect day in ideal conditions is probably the best I've played this year.
"My second round 72 was a good return, considering the extreme and very windy conditions.
"And if I hadn't recorded a third round double bogey at the 17th, my Sunday scores of 73 and 70 in very rainy and windy conditions could have been even better."
He at least improved his final placing by four after finishing sixth in the Lytham Trophy last year.
Meanwhile, with a current amateur ranking of 17th in the world, Whitnell has not long returned from Adelaide where he finished as a semi-finalist in the Australian Mens Amateur Championship.
He also finished sixth at the same course after four rounds of the Australian Mens Strokeplay Championship in a field of 312 golfers.
Before that he was part of the England squad that lost narrowly 13-12 in a men's and women's Ashes friendly at the Moonah Links in Melbourne.
"I'm really pleased with my start of the year form," said Whitnell, who is now looking ahead to an England versus France match this weekend before setting out for Trevose to compete in the Brabazon Trophy.
8:11am Friday 9th May 2008
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