Andy Sullivan celebrates after playing his last shot on the 18th hole on the final day of the English Championship at Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club on 9 August 2020.
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Andy Sullivan won the English Championship on Sunday ending a five
year spell without a victory and burst into tears recalling the friends
who did not live to witness the moment.
The 33-year-old
Englishman – a member of the losing 2016 Ryder Cup team – has seen his
brother-in-law and a close friend pass away since he last won in
Portugal in 2015.
On a happier note it was his first win – his fourth overall on the EPGA Tour – since his son was born two years ago.
Sullivan
had one nervous moment in the final round when Spaniard Adrian Otegui
got within two shots but four birdies on the back nine saw him pull away
and finish on 27-under par.
Otaegui claimed second seven shots off Sullivan.
Sullivan burst into tears when he addressed his family via a laptop that was set up off the 18th green.
“I think it was just the people that have missed it for me,” said Sullivan.
“My brother-in-law was only 24 and got taken from us, so it’s quite emotional for him not to witness it.
“A good friend of mine has passed as well. It means a lot to do that for them.
“It’s
just nice for my family, to win for my little boy who’s only
two-years-old. It’s just nice for him to see daddy being successful. He
hasn’t quite seen that.”
Sullivan admitted he had a tougher time
over the closing holes holding back the tears than worrying about
Otaegui’s fading challenge.
“I can’t remember too much about my
emotions in the first three wins but I was fighting the tears back on
those last three holes,” he said.
“I was really just proud of myself for what I’ve achieved this week.”
Leading final scores from the European Tour’s English Championship at Hanbury Manor on Sunday (GBR/IRL unless stated; par-71):
257 – Andy Sullivan 66 62 64 65
264 – Adrian Otaegui (ESP) 65 66 67 66
265 – Rasmus Hojgaard (DEN) 65 67 69 64
266 – Wilco Nienaber (RSA) 68 65 67 66
267 – Steven Brown 66 65 66 70
268 – Dean Burmester (RSA) 66 63 69 70, Brandon Stone (RSA) 65 66 67 70, Min Woo Lee (AUS) 64 67 70 67
269 – Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 65 66 68 70, Dave Coupland 69 65 66 69, Sean Crocker (USA) 69 67 66 67, Scott Vincent (ZIM) 64 70 68 67, Scott Jamieson 74 63 68 64
270 – Jason Scrivener (AUS) 64 69 66 71, Marcus Armitage 68 69 63 70, Jamie Donaldson 67 64 69 70, Jordan Smith 68 65 67 70, Louis De Jager (RSA) 69 66 67 68
