Miles Tunnicliff has won the Asprey Golfer of the Month Award for June following his outstanding four stroke victory in The Great North Open at De Vere Slaley Hall, Northumberland, England. He wins a £1000 charity donation to The Golf Foundation.
The 33 year old completed his maiden European Tour success 13 years after turning professional and a fortnight after losing his inspirational mother, Pam, to cancer. He had promised to go out and win a tournament in her memory.
Tunnicliff was voted Asprey Golfer of the Month for June by a Panel which met at the Conrad Hotel, Dublin, during the Smurfit European Open at The K Club. The Panel also considered Darren Clarke, winner of The Compass Group English Open and Søren Hansen, who finished second to Clarke at the Marriott Forest of Arden and who went on to win a four way play-off for the Murphy’’s Irish Open at Fota Island while the achievements of Nick Faldo, Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington in finishing in the top ten in the US Open Championship were also commended.
Tunnicliff, relaxing at home in Spain this week, said: “I am thrilled to be named Asprey Golfer of the Month. At the start of June I would never have believed this was possible and, to be truthful, it hasn’’t really sunk in yet.
“That’’s why I took the week off to spend some time at home with my family and friends and take time to reflect and savour the moment before getting back down to business in The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond next week. It was very hectic immediately after winning The Great North Open and I think these few days will help me come back down to earth.
“I feel very privileged to win this prestigious award and I would like to thank the Panel for voting for me” he added.
Warren Humphreys, The Golf Channel Commentator, said: “The panel debated long and hard and found it extremely difficult to separate Miles Tunnicliff and Søren Hansen. The victory by Miles was, without doubt, one of the most emotionally charged wins achieved on The European Tour – a real human story built around a quite superb performance in The Great North Open.
“The Panel also commended the achievement of Neil Coles in the month of June in winning the Lawrence Batley Seniors Open at the age of 67 years and nine months and furthermore pointed out the resurgence of Sandy Lyle, who took sixth place in The Compass Group English Open and enjoyed a top 20 finish in the Murphy’’s Irish Open.”
The Asprey Golfer of the Month Award is presented to a European Tour Member each month from January to November for his performances on The European Tour International Schedule and in worldwide competition. Other winners of the Asprey Award this season have been Justin Rose (January and May), José Maria Olazábal (February), Ernie Els (March), and Retief Goosen (April).
