Evans leaves strong field trailing in his wake
Good Evans, Ben won it by a mile. And the 18-year-old English star was on cloud nine yesterday after driving home in cruise control to win the inaugural Faldo Series International Trophy.
When the last putt dropped at Hong Kong Golf Club's testing par-70 Eden layout yesterday, Evans had beaten some of the world's best youngsters into submission by an impressive nine strokes with a smashing 65-69 to finish six under par overall in the 36-hole event.
In second place in golfing great Nick Faldo's brainchild was England's Oliver Fisher with 68-75, followed by Michael Bibat of the Philippines with 71-73 in third place.
Hong Kong's hopefuls had mixed fortunes. Jimmy Ko Ming-chak finished a creditable fifth in the under-21 boys' category with rounds of 74-75, Eva Yoe Hoi-ning handed in 89-81 for fourth in the under-21 girls' category and Demi Mak's 84-82 gave her eighth place in the under-18 girls' category.
Evans, who also won the boys' under-21 category, said it had been difficult keeping his concentration with such a big lead.
'It was difficult staying focused,' said Evans, who was already nine in front of the field when he reached the turn in the series showpiece staged by Faldo in conjunction with the Hong Kong Golf Association, the Royal and Ancient and the European Tour.
'I dropped some silly shots on the way in and was worried I might have gone out of bounds [on the par-four 13th] but it was OK in the end. 'But I am delighted to have won and by so many shots,' added Evans, who set up the win by breaking the course record with his five-under, first-round 65.
Evans' only major worry came when he hit a three-wood left towards the trees and the out-of-bounds stakes on the 13th. Unsure whether his ball had cleared the trees, Evans hit a provisional ball, which also went left.
If both balls had gone 'out of town', he would have had to come back and play five from the tee. But a relieved youngster found his first ball had sailed over the tree tops and Evans celebrated by hitting his approach to 15 feet and knocking in the birdie putt.
He dropped a shot at the next after pushing his drive into a bunker right of the fairway and failed to make the putting surface with his approach. But Evans responded by hitting a stunning four-iron to within 10 feet of the flagstick at the daunting par-three 15th, but shook his head after missing the birdie chance. 'I was a touch upset about missing it because I had got quite a few of those in the first round,' he said.
Evans nearly had a rush of blood to the head on the 18th hole.
With Fisher holding a driver as he waited to tee off, Evans pondered taking a chance with something stronger than a two-iron he was holding in his hand. But after pulling out his driver, Evans used the most important head of all - the one on his shoulders - and changed his mind, whipping an iron shot down the last fairway.
From there it was a high-flying approach to the green, two putts and glory.
