PATTAYA, Thailand – The Bunker Boys enjoyed three contrasting rounds this week, with Crystal Bay delivering one of the quickest rounds of the year before Eastern Star served up a frustrating five-hour marathon. Hermes Golf Course then rounded off the week with testing winds that kept scores well below the lofty totals usually seen there.
Monday’s game at Crystal Bay on July 20 was played in unseasonably hot conditions. The course remained in surprisingly good shape with well-grassed fairways and greens that were acceptable, although the bunkers continued to disappoint. With virtually nobody else on the course, play moved at lightning pace, with the first group back in the clubhouse in under three hours.
The speedy round prompted discussion about slow play, particularly after Ryan Fox’s Open Championship victory. One of the game’s quickest players, Fox showed that success does not require endless consultations with caddies, repeated range-finding or constant wind checks. Instead, he simply got on with the game and won one of golf’s most prestigious titles.
Competition at Crystal Bay was fierce, with three players finishing on 41 Stableford points and fourth place just one point behind. Les Cobban (11) claimed first place with a superb back nine of 22 points, finishing in style with a birdie at the last. Rob Folland (16) took second after recording 21 points on the inward nine, while Frazer Davy (11) finished third with 41 points and 19 on the back nine. Michael Brett (17) was only one point further back in fourth on 40 points. Frazer also dominated the near-pin competition with two wins, while Les Cobban and Michael Brett collected one each.
What a difference two days made. On Wednesday, July 22, the Bunker Boys went from a three-hour round to a frustrating five-hour grind at Eastern Star after becoming trapped behind one of the slowest fourballs imaginable. The marshal appeared either unwilling or unable to improve the pace of play. Despite the higher-than-expected low-season all-in fee of 1,950 baht, the course was surprisingly busy, while a strong wind, as is often the case at Eastern Star, added another challenge.
After a three-week break with a shoulder injury, Uwe Jurgensen (29) made an impressive return, showing no signs of rust as he posted an excellent winning score of 38 points. Alan Sullivan (17) looked set for victory before fading over the closing holes but still finished second with 34 points, one ahead of Michael Brett (16) in third on 33 points. Only two of the four near-pin prizes were claimed, by Uwe Jurgensen and Frank Dartford.
The week concluded on Friday, July 24, at Hermes Golf Course, where a strong wind made scoring unusually difficult. Normally a venue where 40-plus points are commonplace, this time no one came close to those lofty totals. As always, the course was presented in excellent condition and the pace of play was refreshingly brisk.
Continuing the form he displayed at Eastern Star, Uwe Jurgensen (28) completed a fine double by taking first place on countback from Rob Folland (26), with both players finishing on 34 points. Alan Sullivan (17) once again featured strongly before another late fade left him in third place on 31 points. Rob Folland claimed the first near pin, while Michael Brett swept up the remaining three.
