Royal Porthcawl’s Harry Watkins has bounced back from years of injury to win the Welsh Men’s Open Stroke Play Championship, leading from start to finish at Tenby Golf Club.
He held off the challenge from three of the Wales team which had just finished third in European Nations Cup, with the top three players in the international event all being Welsh.
Welshpool’s Tomi Bowen raced through the field to finish one shot back on the final day with a 65, matching the opening day score of Watkins, with Royal Porthcawl’s Matt Roberts in third two further shots back.
They were both part of the Wales team that finished third in Europe, with Euro Nations winner James Ashfield tied sixth as part of a strong home performance, Langland Bay’s Joe Jones in tied fourth.
It was easily the biggest win of Watkins’ career after having to rebuild his body, mind and swing following shoulder injuries caused by epileptic seizures, as he took a five shot lead from Royal Porthcawl clubmate Roberts into the final round.
“This feels a bit surreal,” he admitted after lifting the trophy. “I have been through a lot in the past few years with injuries and surgeries, so to finally get a win is a pretty good feeling.
“I only really realised last night that I had the chance to go wire to wire. I was staying with Matt for the week so it was very friendly competition, I was trying to block out what this would mean because there were difficult conditions on the last day.
“I had no idea what the other scores were, but I was playing with Matt so I was nervous when he got within two shots.
“There were some friendly faces smiling on the 18th so I figured I had the lead, but I did not know by how much and I raced the birdie putt five feet past the hole.
“I did not know I needed the putt back to avoid a play-off, which is maybe just as well as that would have made me more nervous.”
Watkins, aged 24, graduated from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee last summer and is looking to concentrate on golf after a torrid few years.
“I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 17 and have been on medicine since then, which has meant I have been free of seizures,” he explained.
“However I would come round from those seizures with a lot of shoulder pain. When I dislocated my shoulder reaching out to pick up a football, I discovered I had damaged the bones and torn every ligament.
“I needed surgery on both shoulders, which made things harder. It affected my swing and swing speed, and I was not able to play for a while.
“I always had good support around reminding me I am good enough to get across the line, but I have had some struggles with self-confidence – it is easy to doubt yourself when you have been through such adversity.”