Sweet victory for Stewart at Riversdale
BY Anthony Powter | Australian Mens Amateur Tour | 2007 Riversdale Cup | 12 Mar 2007
Tim Stewart is sure to sleep easy tonight following victory in the Riversdale Cup at 9 under, a single shot from Andrew Dodt, who stormed home late with a 68. Near recent misses for Stewart in the NSW Open and NSW Cup are now behind the Australian Amateur champion, the win at Riversdale is even more sweeter as it’s his first major amateur strokeplay victory.
Despite holding a five shot lead going into the final day, it wasn’t all easy sailing for Stewart who closed with a 75.
“I got off to a bad start. The conditions were not that easy and I knew that I had to knuckle down when I was 4 over through 6 holes. By the 16th I’ve dropped 6 shots and it was only on the 18th that I knew Andrew Dodt was in the clubhouse with a 68 and was equal with me at 8 under going down 18. I’ll been focused on the group I was in up to that point and then it set in where I was.”
“When that 12 foot putt fell on the 18th for a birdie, the weight lifted off my shoulders. Today’s win is important for me. It shows I can win not only at match play but a stroke. To come home the way that I did after the start that I had makes today’s victory sweeter.”
There’s little doubt that Stewart feels relieved about this afternoon’s win at Riversdale, seen by him as part of the learning experience. Any negative thoughts like letting slip last year leads going into major American amateur events with the Rice Planters (where he closed there with a 75) and the Eastern Amateur have been erased.
For Stewart these were more like “work in progress”, it was after all his first venture to the US. His approach has not changed. Each game, each tournament must be taken at a time, the result should them follow and they followed this afternoon when the heat was on and Stewart found himself in the breach.
“As the great Jack Nicklaus has commented, ’You have to loose some to win some’. The result today definitely has taken any monkey off my back. There were comments around in some articles that I wasn’t that good at strokeplay. My results of late have put paid to that criticism.”
“Outside winning the Australian Amateur last year, this win is my best so far. To win one of our oldest amateur tournaments is especially special. I’ve been pleased with my results this year. Obviously I want to defend my Australian Amateur title, but I’m really focused on returning to American and playing competitively there. If I qualify for the US Amateur that will cap what has been a great year for me.”
Stewart almost did not have it his way at Riversdale. An impressive 68 by Andrew Dodt rebounded him back into contention following an uncharacteristic 76 from the 2006 Malaysian Amateur champion the previous day.
“I had a bogey free round today. A marked improvement from yesterday’s effort and I’m feeling confident now going into the Australian Amateur. I played the last 4 holes 3 over and bogeyed the two par fives yesterday. Looking back, they were expensive and probably cost me the tournament.”
“Full credit to Tim though, he birdied the last two holes to win. That’s a gutsy effort and well deserved especially given how the wind picked up later in the round.”
Matthew Griffin and Rohan Blizard were T3 at 6 under followed by a bunch of players including Ray Beaufils, Rick Kulacz and Michael Foster in T4 at 5 under.
Tim Stewart moves forward from the win at Riversdale full of confidence and primed to defend his Australian Amateur title. Irrespective of what unfolds in a few weeks at NSW Golf Club, Stewart is contented with he’s achievements so far. For him it’s all about being able to give it a shot and today, despite missing a few marks earlier on, he kept his nerve and his aim returned when it counted.
Photo – Anthony Powter
