Jason Savident relives the putt which won him the UV Trophy. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0597089)
JASON SAVIDENT sank a 25ft birdie putt on the last green to clinch the handicap section of the 72-hole tournament which seemingly had been destined for Brian Lucas to win until the last moment.
Ultimately it was countback which settled matters in favour of the five-handicap L’Ancresse member, who had shot a final day net 70 to make up the necessary three shots on Lucas who had led for two days.
For Savident, 32, it was his biggest achievement in the sport. ‘Obviously I’m pleased. To win over four rounds is a true test of golf and there are some good names on the [UV] trophy,’ said the winner who revealed he had putted poorly all four days, only for it all to come right on the 72nd hole.
‘I hadn’t sunk a thing all week until that 25 footer on the last hole. My game plan was to just keep the ball in play and I stuck to the game plan. Over the four days I lost just two balls.’
With the 18th pin situated more or less centrally, Savident left his approach on the front which suited him to the ground, as he explained.
‘I had exactly the same putt and position when I beat Danny Bisson in last year’s island championships. I had a little laugh to myself when I saw it and thought, I’ve done this before so why not do it again?’
Savident said that but for a cold putter he had played well enough to win by more.
‘If I’d had the short game I’d have won it a lot more comfortably.’
As it was he was surprised to win with a score of four-over, when the norm is for the event to be won by a sub-par score.
‘It shows how tough the course is playing.’
Ultimately, just one shot covered the top four players with Laurence Graham and Ross Wheeler mounting a late bid for the main honour.
The day’s best score came from Nigel Vaudin who shot a net 65, three-under gross 67, to finish ninth in the scratch standings, but 22 shots behind the usual winner, Bobby Eggo. He finished with a 71 or an eight-shot margin over runner-up Danny Blondel.
The day’s best net score was a 64 from junior Elliott Corbin.
Article posted on 23rd June, 2008 - 2.29pm
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