Record Breaker Ito Wins Faldo Series Europe Grand Final

Asian junior golfers Masamichi Ito (Japan) and Yi-Chen Liu (Chinese Taipei) re-wrote the record books when they won the Boys' and Girls' titles at the 14^th Faldo Series Europe Grand Final played over the Faldo Course at the Lough Erne Resort in Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

Ito carded a closing round of two over par 74 for a two under par three round aggregate of 214 to finish four shots ahead of fellow Asian, Yi-Chen Liu, and six shots in front of England's Jack Colgate and Poland's Adrian Meronk.

Ito's victory meant that he became the first Asian golfer to win the Faldo Series Europe Boys' title. The Japanese youngster also became the first golfer to claim both the Faldo Series Europe and Faldo Series Asia titles and he superseded European Tour star Nick Dougherty as the youngest golfer to claim the Faldo Series Europe title at the age of 15 years and 46 days.

Liu began the day with a three shot lead over England's Abi Laker and she became the first Asian to win the Faldo Series Europe Girls' title when she closed with a three under par 69 that saw her finish five shots ahead of English Curtis Cup player, Holly Clyburn, on two over par 218.

Laker fell back with a closing 82 but her consolation was to claim a single shot victory over Ireland's Chloe Ryan in the Girls' Under-16 age group category. The other four age group winners after three days of gruelling competition over the testing Faldo Course were England's Hugo Dobson (Boys' Under-21), England's Jack Colegate (Boys' Under-18), Ito (Boys' Under-16) and Liu (Girls' Under-21). All now qualify to play in the 2011 Faldo Series Asia Grand Final to be played next March at Mission Hills, China. Ito and Liu will also be invited to play in a professional Tour event.

Ito came into the Faldo Series Europe Grand Final with the record as the youngest golfer ever to make the cut at a Japan Golf Tour event and he displayed all of his precocious talent with three rounds of 70, 70 and 74 to leave a strong international field comprising 81 golfers from 18 different countries trailing in his wake.

The diminutive Japanese golfer, who won his Faldo Series Asia title at Mission Hills in March, began the day with a fright when he hit his second shot into the water at the 367-yard par-4 1^st but he recovered to post a bogey and then got that shot back on the 370-yard par-4 7^th to go out in level par 37.

He dropped two more shots when he found water at the 321-yard par-4 10^th but recovered his composure with a birdie on the 554-yard par-5 14^th and then closed in style with a 5-iron to 10-feet for a birdie in front of a large crowd on the last.
"It's a great feeling to win and add this title to the Faldo Series Asia title I won in March," he said. "I didn't know until a few minutes ago that I am the first person to win both titles but that makes me very proud."

"I’m very tired but also very happy."

Liu claimed a comprehensive five shot victory in the Girls' event and came within four shots of catching Ito at the top of the leaderboard with a marvelous three under par 69 that included no less than three birdie twos.

She was level par for the day when she carded the first of those twos on the 174-yard par-3 5^th and went to three under when she registered the same score at the 148-yard par-3 15^th after a bogey on the 7^th and birdies on the 11^th and 12^th. She made her sixth birdie of the day on the 491-yard par-5 16^th but then dropped two shots when she hit her second into the water on the 304-yard par-4 17^th before recovering in style with a 6-iron and a 9-foot putt for her third two of the day on the 153-yard par-3 18^th.

"It was an exciting way to finish," said Liu. "For the first time all week I felt good with the putter and that was the difference between today and the first two days."

"I can't believe I have won," she added. "I came over here to do my best but it wasn't until we finished on Tuesday that I began to think I could win."

"It's a great honour to win a trophy with Sir Nick Faldo's name on it and I'd like to thank him for all he's done for us this week."

Sir Nick Faldo, the eponymous Faldo Series founder, and six-time Major champion, congratulated both Ito and Liu for their outstanding victories: "Both Masamichi and Yi-Chen played marvelous golf and fully deserved their victories. Golf is now a truly international game and that message was reinforced with the results today."

"I have had a tremendous week," Faldo added. "It's been great fun watching the competitors on the course and also helping them off the course. That's why I set up the Faldo Series and it's very gratifying to see how much it has grown since we started it back in 1996."

It turned out to a disappointing day for the local Irish contingent at Lough Erne Resort. 2010 Faldo Series Ireland Champion Conor Glynn (Carton House) climbed up to a tie for tenth overall with a fine closing 71 while Kieran Lynch (Skibbereen & West Carberry) was tied 14^th after a 76 and Patrick Small (Bangor) was 26^th after posting the same score on the last day. 16-year old Chloe Ryan (Castleroy) posted a final round 80 and suffered the anguish of finishing second one shot behind England's Abi Laker in the Girls' Under-16 age group category.

That meant Ryan narrowly missed out on a trip to Mission Hills, China, for the 2011 Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.

The final day of the 2010 Faldo Series Europe Grand Final was completed when the assembled field watched Faldo, former Faldo Series winner, Rory McIlroy, the Touring Professional at Lough Erne Resort, and the five age-group winners take part in a one-club challenge over the 17^th and 18^th holes. McIlroy also joined the six-time Major winner for the subsequent gala dinner and prize presentation.

The Faldo Series Europe Grand Final is an R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking event. It is supported by The R&A, the European Tour and the Lough Erne Resort. It is also backed by the PGA.

Full final results can be found at www.nickfaldo.com.