Author: PGA of Switzerland
Posted on: 2nd Nov 2021
The Swiss PGA apprentice professionals met at Migros GolfPark Waldkirch this week to contest their annual championship for the national title. The week commenced with a pro-am followed by two days of stroke play.
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The tournament itself comprises part of the Apprentices’ course; the third-year apprentices must oversee the running of the championship, including finding the venue, promoting the event, accumulating the prizemoney, determining the local rules and terms of competition, making the draws, and conducting the prize-giving.
Golf & Country Club Zurich first year apprentice, Ben Purshouse, led the field on Day 1 as the only player to break par in the trying autumn conditions. The course greenkeepers had presented the course in excellent condition and the unusually fast greens took some of the players by surprise. Purshouse himself commented: “I had many return putts of four feet or so – the ball just kept getting away from me.”
Temperatures dropped on the second and final day, with all players donning their warmest winter clothing. Overnight leader, Purshouse, struggled with the cold conditions early relinquishing his sub-par status back to the course. Meanwhile, his playing partner, local first-year apprentice, Adone Hepburn, who commenced the final round four strokes in arrears, found form and took advantage of his local knowledge. Carding the lowest round of the tournament, a three-under par 68, he took the Swiss PGA title at his first attempt. Purshouse managed to hang-on to second place with Graubunden second-year apprentice, Davide Albertini, tied for third with third-year Domaine Impérial apprentice, Edouard Amacher.
Swiss PGA Board member responsible for education, Erlen Golf Club Advanced Professional, Andrea Mantoan, commented that the “…’third-years’ had done a commendable job of arranging the tournament. They will have to defend the outcome at the upcoming Apprentices’ Autumn Meeting”.
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