Hamer hoping it’s third time lucky

GOLFER Martyn Hamer

LOCAL golfer Martyn Hamer is more determined than ever to win his card to compete on the European Tour, despite missing out for a second successive year.

The 23-year-old from Chadderton Fold lost out in the second of the three qualifying stages which were staged in Spain.

But after failing to progress by only five shots, Hamer knows that success remains within his grasp.

Hamer finished level par after four rounds - shooting 75, 68, 72 and 73 at Arcos Gardens for a total of 288 and a tie for 43rd place. He needed to have shot five-under-par to have made the top 20 to reach the final qualifying stage.

He explained: “I qualified from The Oxfordshire, on a not too dissimilar course to Arcos Gardens, with a score of five-under-par so I know I can reach that level.

“And that was borne out at Arcos Gardens where, over the four rounds, I picked up 20 shots from 18 birdies and an eagle. But on the downside I also scored 18 bogeys and one double bogey.”

Hamer added that apart from veteran Santiago Luna, who had a five-shot margin of victory to remain on course to regain his tour card at the age of 45, there was not a lot to separate the remainder of the field.

Hamer, who is attached to Ellesmere Golf Club, says he is determined to make it third time lucky in 2009.

He said: “I have analysed what went wrong and have devised a programme to improve those areas. I will dedicate the next six months to working on it.

“I will be working both on flexibility exercises and improving my technique with a mixture of work in the gym and on the course to try to gain the extra 20 or 30 yards I need from the tee.”

There is a possibility Hamer may spend some time this winter in South Africa working out in a more favourable climate, though that will depend on his finances.

Though Hamer, who is looking for a part-time job to help fund his golf in 2009, receives sponsorship from Dave Fricker, of Touchstar, and Ellesmere Golf Club, he still needs to keep an eye on the purse strings.

It cost £3,000 just to take part in the qualifying school for the European Tour.

He said: “The frustrating thing is that I have spent £3,000 for each of the last two years, but have nothing to show for it.

“You are not given a ranking unless you reach the third qualifying stage, which I think is unfair. Somebody could miss out by one shot and be classed the same as somebody who failed to qualify for Spain.”

It is a measure of how tough the qualifying school is that former European Tour winner Mark Mouland was knocked out at the same stage as Hamer.

And Lloyd Saltman, winner of the silver medal for amateur players at the 2005 Open at St Andrews, only scraped through to the final qualifier by claiming the last place after seven players had to contest a play-off.