There were a couple of bleary-eyed golf professionals standing in line at Gatwick Airport at stupid o’clock on Wednesday morning who were later delighted to have made the early-morning trip to Faro – Justin Rose and Scott Rusbridge.
Of course, the former was on his way here to the wonderful Quinta do Lago resort to watch the final round of the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championship and was thrilled to see Grace Crawford win the girls’ event in gutsy fashion.
And the latter, a PGA teaching pro, clearly made the right choice, despite some initial misgivings, to travel to the Algarve to witness his son win the boys’ division in devastating fashion.
“Dad rang me yesterday evening, after the second round when I was four ahead, and asked me if it would make me too nervous if he came over last minute to be here for the final 18 holes,” Charlie Rusbridge, 16, said.
“I told him it would be brilliant if he could and to have him here, and of course, Justin as well, made it even more special. They even travelled on the same EasyJet flight! It’s not every day you have a major champion looking on as you drive off. It’s a day I’ll never forget.”
Rusbridge ultimately prevailed by eight shots, but there were moments early on when it did not seem so straightforward, with full England international Ben Bolton in hot pursuit en route to a 67 and Henry Styles, the victor’s fellow Essex golfer, making his own strides.
However, with a devastating back nine of 31, featuring five birdies and four pars, Rusbridge strolled clear with his own 67. “It’s funny, because I started the year with a win in Portugal in the Faldo Series and have finished it here in the same country with a win in Justin’s event,” he said. “And they are a massively inspirational pair.”
Indeed, Rusbridge’s success has already been coined “The English Legend Double”. “Yeah, it has been a great year, with my victory at the English Under-18s [Championship, in July] proving to me that I can compete and win against the best of that age group. My ambition next year is to play in the Junior Ryder Cup.”
Crawford would like to do that herself. “But I’m too old!” the 17-year-old said, after a 74 on the challenging South Course allowed the Scot to fend off Lottie Woodham (73) by two shots. “This is my last junior event and it is the perfect manner in which to sign off,” she added. “I go to US college in Alabama next year and yes, I will take plenty of self-belief from this.”
It is an understatement to say Rose was impressed. “Goodness, I’m glad I didn’t have to take these guys on,” he said. “The standard seems to be getting better and better. But it’s not just the quality of their games that’s really heart-warming to see, but the camaraderie of the group. It’s exactly how golf should be.”
Final scores
Boys
C Rusbridge -12 (Colne Valley) 69, 68, 67
B Bolton -4 (Enville) 74, 71, 67
H Styles -4 (Romford) 72, 68, 72
Girls
G Crawford Level (North Berwick) 74, 68, 74
L Woodham +2 (West Hill) 72, 73, 73
A Peaford +3 (Walton Heath) 78, 70, 71
S Adams +3 (Royal Birkdale) 71, 76, 72.
