The marathon final day of the Lythan Trophy, consisting of two 18-hole rounds on the iconic English course of Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, was extended even further with a playoff that was won by Englishman Will Hopkins against Welshmen Tomi Bowen and James Ashfield.
This day has not been favorable for Spanish interests, as Luis Masaveu, third at the start of the day, has fallen to eleventh position after failing to win on the field in either of his two matches.
First he signed a card of 73 strokes (+3) and then said goodbye to the tournament with a card of 70 strokes, at even par for the course, for a total of 284 strokes (+5), six behind the players who played the tiebreaker.
As for Álvaro Pastor, the other Spanish player who made the cut, he has improved his starting position and climbed five places to finish in twentieth position.
The player from Retamares Golf Club was also unable to defeat the English links player and mirrored his compatriot's rounds with 73 strokes (+3) and 70 strokes, at even par for the course, for a total of 287 strokes (+7).
Good debut for Álvaro Pastor
The first day of the Lytham Trophy ended with Álvaro Pastor as the best of the Spanish contingent, sharing third place with the Swiss Nicola Gerhardsen and the Belgian Jarno Tollenaire.
The Madrid player signed a good card of 68 strokes (-2), one stroke behind the leader, shared by Welshman James Ashfield and Englishman Jamie Van Wyk.
Álvaro Pastor started with a birdie on the 2nd hole, then strung together three bogeys and three birdies, before the second half, completed with two birdies and a bogey for those 68 strokes (-2).
As for Luis Masaveu and Pablo Alperi, the other two players who complete the Spanish representation along with Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño in coaching roles, they did not manage to beat one of the most emblematic links courses in the world.
The player from Club La Moraleja completed his round with three birdies and four bogeys, for a result of 71 strokes (+1), which took him to twenty-seventh position, four strokes from the lead.
As for Pablo Alperi, the Asturian player did not find his best game and signed six bogeys and only one birdie, concluding with a card of 75 strokes (+5) that placed him in 86th position.
Luis Masaveu, third at the halfway point of the tournament
The second day of the Lytham Trophy saw Luis Masaveu climb to third place, gaining no less than 25 positions, and now just two strokes behind the leader, Englishman Jamie Van Wyk.
The Madrid player, who was already second last year, completed his round with a score of 68 strokes (-2), thanks to two bogeys, two birdies and a great eagle on the 11th hole, for a total of 139 strokes (-1), which allowed him to share third place with Englishman Andrew Haswell and Frenchman Oscar Couilleau.
As for the other two Spanish representatives, Álvaro Pastor was unable to replicate his great first round and his round of 76 strokes (+6) made him fall from third place to twenty-fifth place, seven strokes off the lead.
Things went worse for Pablo Alperi, who turned in a card of 72 strokes (+2), slightly better than on the first day, but with a total of 147 strokes (+7), he was two strokes short of making the cut, set at 145 strokes (+5) and which a total of 46 players made.
A test with more than half a century of history
This prestigious competition was born in 1965 and is always played over four rounds of 18 holes: one on Friday, one on Saturday and two on Sunday, the latter reserved for those who make the cut, which is reserved for the first 40 players and ties.
The Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, located in the north of England, is one of the most prestigious clubs in the United Kingdom, a regular venue in The Open rotation and a venue that has hosted two Ryder Cups, among other major men's and women's events.
Final Results
1. Will Hopkins (70, 70, 73, 66) 279 hits
2. Tomi Bowen (72, 69, 68, 70) 279 strokes
James Ashfield (67, 71, 72, 69) 279 hits
…..
11. Luis Masaveu (71, 68, 74, 71) 284 strokes
20. Álvaro Pastor (68, 76, 73, 70) 287 strokes
Results and additional tournament information can be found below in the Related Links section.
