SOUTH Bradford Golf Club’s Oliver Tasker has achieved a personal dream of his by finally being crowned a title holder in an individual event.
Tasker, who did secure first spot with his teammates in this year’s Division One Scratch League, claimed victory at the Bingley St Ives Salver competition on Wednesday to conclude a truly magnificent season for everyone involved at South Bradford.
One of his teammates at the club, Andrew Busfield, recently heaped praise onto the St Ives victor, saying: “Oliver Tasker has been phenomenal for us in his third year playing with the team. He’s been extremely consistent, while he’s someone you can always rely on.”
Consistency was exactly what Tasker needed and exactly what he got to claim victory on Wednesday in Bingley, and he admitted that it has been a long time coming.
Speaking to the T&A, he said: “I’m delighted to have won at St Ives on Wednesday, it feels amazing. It’s even more special for me because I’ve come so close to winning titles of this calibre on so many occasions, but I’ve just never been able to get over the line in the past. This time I have.”
He added: “It’s probably the best round of golf I’ve played all year and I think it’s because it’s a course that I feel very comfortable on; for what reason I’m not sure but that golf course seems to suit me very well and I always seem to play well there.
“So, I felt confident going into the competition despite struggling towards the end of the season. I’m just thankful that I managed to pull it back on Wednesday, so that I could get the victory. I played really well and I was happy with my performance.”
Tasker is now hoping that Wednesday’s victory is a sign of things to come for him on a personal level.
He said: “Getting that first solo victory changes the outlook on things for me; it gives me the confidence to know I can go out there and get a win.
“Psychotically, it’s huge because I can now visualise myself winning, instead of thinking about the times where I’ve fallen short or thrown away a lead. There will definitely be a bit more belief in my game because I’ve shown that I can do it now.”
It’s been a remarkable treble-winning campaign for South Bradford Golf Club with Tasker, Busfield, captain Andy Crowe, Scot Minto and Archie Rowntree seeing the club to victories in the Division One Scratch League, the prestigious single stroke and Inter Club Fourball Championship on April 30 and the Nine-Hole Clubs Team Championship.
Tasker admitted that this season will live long in his memory.
He said: “It (the season) has definitely been one of the best I’ve ever been involved in. We’ve had massive support from our club captain and we’ve gone on to win multiple things throughout the year.
“I’m enjoying my golf more and more and my time at South Bradford is just getting better. It’s such a good little club and the people around there are just great. The atmosphere around the club has helped me to relax as a player, which has obviously made me improve as a player. But yes, it has been a terrific year and I’m excited to see what’s next for me and the team.”
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