Andy Sullivan fights back the tears as he wins English Championship in style to end five-year drought
When Andy Sullivan won the Portugal Masters in 2015 it was his third European Title of that season and helped earn him a Ryder Cup debut the following year. As the then 29 year-old left Vilamoura that evening, he was in the world’s top 50 and climbing.
At that point nobody would have suspected that the man with the ever-smiling face from Nuneaton would have five blanks years, during which he would fall out of the world’s top 170 and undergo so much self-introspection.
On Sunday, at The English Championship in Hertfordshire, Sullivan finally relocated the winning touch. He had to work for it, however, seeing his five-shot overnight lead whittled down to just two by Spaniard Adrian Otaegui after the turn at Hanbury Manor.
Yet with the insecurities of such a long wait fairly pinging around his cranium, Sullivan regathered and with three birdies in four holes from the 12th lengthened clear again, posting a 65 for a seven-stroke victory. In third came the great young Dane Rasmus Hojgaard, who shot a 64 to close on 19-under, one off Otaegui (66).
Sullivan’s 27-under total was only two short of Ernie Els’ record Tour mark set at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth, Australia, 17 years ago. However, Sullivan was not moaning. Instead, he was deeply emotional and not only because he had at last revisited the winner’s enclosure. "My brother-in-law was only 24 and got taken from us [two years ago], so it's quite emotional for him not to witness it,” he said, explaining his tears. “And a good friend of mine has recently passed as well. It means a lot to do that for them.”
Hanbury Manor is only an hour’s drive from Wentworth and on Friday the West Course witnessed scary scenes when the Grand Final of the Rose Ladies Series was called off because of the raging Surrey wildfire that saw houses abandoned and 150 acres of countryside destroyed.
The famous layout was largely saved, but the final round of the series was abandoned early on Saturday, with 36-hole leader Alice Hewson declared the winner of the tournament and Charley Hull as the champion of the mini circuit’s order of merit.
Despite the sad conclusion, the eight-string series was regarded as a huge success, with Justin Rose’s wife, Kate, hinting that it may come back in some form in 2021. "We set it up to fill the void of playing opportunities for the female pros caused by the pandemic and in an ideal world, a series like this won’t be necessary next year,” she said. “But we would to like to see what options there might be to continue with it.”
