DISABLED BRITISH OPEN - Alasdair Berry wins national title

After near misses over the last few years, Alastair Berry (Irvine Ravenspark) won the Disabled British Open for the first time, at the East Sussex course recently.

(Report and picture from the Disabled British Open site at www.disabledbritishopen.org)

At the fourth time of asking, Scotland’s Alasdair Berry finally took the yourgolftravel.com Disabled British Open golf title he’d come so close to winning in the past. The 21-year-old, from Irvine Ravenspark GC, overcame a two-shot deficit after the first round to overhaul overnight leader Joakim Bjorkman, from Sweden, to take the title at East Sussex National with an impressive two-round score of 153, just nine over par.
The emotion of his success overwhelmed the affable three-handicapper as he was interviewed afterwards, reflecting a four-year odyssey which had seen him finish third in 2009, second in 2010, and third again last year.
 Struggling to hold back the tears, he said:

“It feels fantastic and it hasn’t quite sunk in yet.  I’ve been close for the past three years so it’s great to have finally won this year. The conditions were difficult during the second round as it was very windy. After the first hole Joakim and I were level on scores and he gave me a great game."
Berry finished six strokes clear of three players in joint second place: Bjorkman; 2009 and 2011winner Duncan Hamilton-Martin (St George’s Hill); and Kevin Harmison (Newbiggin), who had finished second, fifth and seventh in the previous three tournaments.
 Bjorkman, 22, a five-handicapper from Frŏsåter GC, set a blistering pace on the first day, in torrential rain and blustery winds, recording a two-over-par 74. However, he could not maintain that level of performance and slipped to a second-round 85, allowing playing partner Berry to take advantage.
Lindsey Horton, a director of event organiser Remarkable Events, said: “Alasdair was an incredibly popular winner, particularly with his fellow competitors. Having come so close in the previous three events it was perhaps fitting that he should succeed at the fourth attempt.
"The competition was very strong, however, and it was great to see Joakim Bjorkman come so close on his tournament debut. It shows the yourgolftravel.com Disabled British Open is a truly international event now, with 16 countries represented and, of course, this is the first time the winner has come from anywhere other than England.
“The natural conclusion is that, as the international participation in the event continues to expand, it will not be long before the title leaves these shores.”