Wrigley's birdie blitz boosts open bid

Jun 25 2009 by Tim Taylor, The Journal

FORMER England Schoolboys cap Alex Wrigley missed out on playing in The Journal Champion of Champions at Slaley Hall last year because he turned professional after the heavy rains of 2008 forced a postponement.

Now he is harbouring hopes of playing in the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry next month after going forward to local qualifying as the joint leader of yesterday’s regional stage on the much-admired Goswick links.

Only a week past his 19th birthday, Wrigley is an assistant at the Hartlepool club, whose most famous golfer, Graeme Storm, signed for a record 62 on the New Course at Sunningdale earlier this month to qualify for the Open.

Wrigley produced six birdies and two bogeys in a four-under 68, matched late on a glorious sun-kissed day by Craig Matheson from Falkirk.

Joining Wrigley in the next stage will be Westerhope’s George Cowan and the Bamburgh Castle amateur, Garrick Porteous, who both shot 71.

Wrigley comes from a rugby union family. Dad Jonathan, who was on his bag yesterday, was a former England Colts scrum-half who played for West Hartlepool in their Premiership era.

Alex was a good enough rugby player to play fly-half for West’s junior team through all their age-groups from the age of eight.

Wind blowing from the south, unusual for Goswick, got up late in his round, but Wrigley handled it well enough to reel off four birdies in the last five holes.

Dad Jonathan said: “I liked the way Alex kept his nerve at the last.”