Sholem lords it at the Manor (From Bournemouth Echo)

Sholem lords it at the Manor

7:00am Friday 13th November 2009 in

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TOP amateur Tim Sholem took the prize scalps of two former Ryder Cup players and a European Tour winner during Team SFG’s 12½ to 7½ win over their professional counterparts at Celtic Manor.

Sholem, who earned maximum points for Peter McEvoy’s team, beat 1983 Ryder Cup players Paul Way and Gordon Brand Senior before toppling 2000 Brazilian Open winner Roger Chapman in the singles.

The Meyrick Park four-handicapper qualified for the Single Figure Golfers tournament by winning the 36-hole scratch event at this year’s Bournemouth Open.

And Sholem progressed to the 10-man team by winning the first day’s 18-hole qualifying event on the Montgomerie course.

The 27-year-old casino hospitality worker chalked up an impressive nett 68 to make it through to the next two days’ match play event against a Pro Challenge team.

“Although there were five players tied on the same score, I won by a country mile because I was level par for the back nine and was four shots clear of my nearest rival,” explained Sholem.

The tournament was played on the 2010 course – venue for next year’s Ryder Cup – starting with a morning foursomes match.

All the amateurs played off full handicaps while the professionals were awarded a plus-four handicap.

Sholem teamed up with Brad Rowntree to beat Way and former Walker Cup player John Hawksworth 3 and 2, before claiming a 2 and 1 win over Brand Senior and former Sol-heim Cup player Joanne Morley.

The Bournemouth man then completed his hat-trick with a convincing 6 and 4 win over 50-year-old Chapman, who finished 12th on this year’s European Seniors Tour Order of Merit.

“Although I received eight shots, I didn’t really need all of them,” said Sholem. “Roger was one over par after 14 holes while I was two over par.

“It was an unbelievable experience to be in the same room as so many Ryder Cup, Walker Cup and Solheim Cup players, who have played against the best in the world.”