Stuart is storming to Merit title

8:40pm Friday 4th July 2008

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CHORLEY’S Sam Stuart refused to believe he’s already clinched the Mitsushiba Northern Order of Merit despite being the competition’s runaway leader.

The 20-year-old England player wrote his name into the Order of Merit record books on Wednesday with his fourth successive victory to open up a 230-point lead.

He clinched a three-shot win in the Bromborough Bowl, coming after previous successes at Penwortham, Ashton & Lea, and Manchester.

“Everything seems to be coming right for me in the Northern Order of Merit,” said Stuart.

“I’ve improved my game a lot recently – everything has improved. But I’m not sure that everything has gelled together yet.

“I’ve changed my swing a lot and I’ve got it going well in the Order of Merit, but not so in the national events. I need to transform that attitude.

“It’s nice to be leading the way, but I’m taking things as they come.

“I can’t play in all the events. It’s just a case of picking and choosing which ones and, sometimes, ringing up to be a late entry.

“That’s the way it’s been for me so far and that’s what happened at Bromborough.”

Stuart had never previously seen the Wirral course before entering the event the previous day.

He added: “I was really pleased with my round there – everything came off.

“I wasn’t going to bother going to Bromborough, but a friend rang me the day before and said do I fancy going? So in the end, I did.”

Stuart, a member of St Annes Old Links and Chorley, started his winning streak at Penwortham at the start of last month and has not looked back since.

And his midweek victory helped overcome the disappointment of missing out on the Open Championship regional requalifer after his entry was mislaid.

“It was just a mistake – a mix-up with the fax,” he added. “The delivery had gone through to the R&A and I got a reciept back saying it had been all sorted. But it hadn’t.

“It’s disappointing because you always want to be part of Open qualifying and I feel as though I’ve got a chance with it being on my own doorstep.”