European Father and Son Golf Championship 2011

EX BARE-KNUCKLE BOXER ‘GYPSY JOE’ WINS THE BIGGEST FIGHT OF HIS LIFE TO TAKE THE EUROPEAN FATHER AND SON TITLE

Former bare-knuckle boxer turned professional golfer Joe Smith and his son Rymer from Wyke Green Golf Club in Middlesex have won the Scratch European Father and Son Golf Championship at El Rompido in Southern Spain in a thrilling final day’s action.

Playing a scratch Stapleford two-ball Betterball format they shot 37-36-44 for a 54 hole points total of 117 (9 under par) to steal the trophy from two behind the joi
The Smiths got off to a storming start carding a four under par front nine to catch the leaders. A pivotal moment came on hole 15 where Joe sunk a 12 foot putt to save par. His 17-year-old son Rymer playing off a handicap of two then took control by finishing with an inspired three birdie flourish from the 16^th including rolling in a nerveless 12 foot birdie putt at the last with the crowd watching. Dad ‘Gypsy Joe’ celebrated with a hilarious shadow boxing jig and a ‘high five’ slap with playing partner David Mills which nearly took his arm off.nt final days leaders, the defending champions the Pickfords from Luxembourg and the Carpenters from the USA who both started the day on three under par.

 “This is one of the greatest moments of my life,” said ‘Gypsy Joe’, collecting the European Father and Son Golf Championship trophy with his son Rymer. “Coming from a gypsy community and from a former career as a bare-knuckle boxer I’ve had to fight all my life to get acceptance and respect in the elitist golfing world. Well today I’ve won the biggest fight of my life and this trophy makes the 28 years of hard work all worthwhile.”

In the Handicap Championship the Smiths were close to making history by becoming the first team to win both the Scratch and Handicap titles. They posted a leading handicap score of 122 points (14 under par) but were tied by the Carpenters from Maryland, USA. Gary Jr. and Gary Snr. had won their place in the European Championship courtesy of their victory in the USA Father & Son Golf Championship. Now they were faced with a sudden-death play-off at the 18^th for the title.

In the end it was 60-year old Gary Carpenter who held his nerve to roll in a five-foot putt for a net birdie and win the Handicap Championship title. “It’s such an honor to win this tournament and playing with your Dad is a real privilege,” said Gary Carpenter Jr. “We’ve had a brilliant week over in Europe and getting to take the Father & Son Golf Championship trophy home with us is just a dream come true.”

The European Father and Son Golf Championship is the largest Father and Son Golf event staged in Europe. National champions, qualifiers and entrants come from all over

the world to compete in the three day 54-hole two ball Betterball format. The tournament is unique as it is open to both professional and amateur golfers with no age restrictions. Golf professionals play off scratch and there is a maximum handicap allowance of 24 for amateur competitors who must hold an official Congu handicap.

Thanks to the growing reputation of the Father and Son Golf Championship around the world, the European Championship also has reciprocal agreements with the USA, Australia and South Africa, which means the European winners get a free invitation to these global championships and vice versa

Further information about the European Father and Son Golf Championship can be found on the website www.fatherandsongolf.co.uk