Ryedale | Archive | 2003 | August | 06
From the Gazette & Herald, first published Wednesday 6th Aug 2003.
LESSONS well learned provided an apt climax to the lightning-hammered Yorkshire Masters at Fulford Golf Club, where Malton and Norton professional Steve Robinson was one of four players who tied for first place.
The £6,000 Yorkshire PGA tournament attracted the cream of the county's club professionals but a vicious storm ensured the event was truncated to 31 holes from its original 36.
By the end of the deluged day, Robinson and his former assistant Mark Winterburn were among the quartet of winners who posted five-under-par totals of 119 when the elements came to the fore. The other two were Darren Leng, from Brough GC, and Wortley's Richard Crawshaw.
The four were spared a play-off, each sharing the title and the prize money. Yet there might only have been a trio of victors but for some pre-tournament tuition dished out by the 41-year-old Robinson to his former protege Winterburn, now the pro' at York's Forest Park GC.
Explained the Malton and Norton ace, whose training abilities have been recognised on the national and county circuit: "I gave Mark a putting lesson before the tournament began.
"Then I found he was playing just in front of me and all I could see was his backside sticking up as he kept picking the ball out of the hole after sinking another successful putt."
"I wish I hadn't bothered giving him that lesson now!" joked Robinson.
In truth, the Malton and Norton maestro admitted he was as delighted for Winterburn, who took up the Forest Park post earlier this year, as he was by his own performance.
"We're still good mates and we see each other for a drink quite regularly. I was quite happy with shooting a five-under-par score in those sort of conditions, though to be fair the Fulford course recovered very well after the storm which delayed play for a while."
Meanwhile, just before the Masters, Robinson won the individual men's prize in the annual Easingwold GC pro-am with a 69, a new course record.
Robinson is proving more than adept at guiding the best of the county's youngsters. The Yorkshire boys' under-17s team, whom he coaches, have again reached the English Counties' final to be played next month. They qualified as Northern Counties' champions, including 18-shot and 24-shot wins over Cheshire, at Silloth-on-Solway in Cumbria, and Lancashire respectively.
Updated: 11:20 Wednesday, August 06, 2003
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