Ulm: Tim Sluiter secures himself the Chronos Cup trophy

Strong performance by Dutchman Tim Sluiter: The 21 year-old from Enschede presents himself at the Chronos Cup as a model of consistency, puts excellently and masterfully wins the tournament with a 9-stroke lead. Second place goes to Torben Baumann.

by Matthias Lettenbichler

Ulm – Last week he had already indicated his good form with a 9^th place finish at the Bad Waldsee Classic. Tim Sluiter, 21 year-old golf professional from Enschede in The Netherlands, is now celebrating his first victory on the EPD Tour. On Wednesday afternoon he masterfully wrapped up the Chronos Cup with a total 12 under par. After 54 holes and rounds with 69, 67 and 65 strokes, he had a lead of nine strokes ahead of second place Torben Baumann (72, 71 and 67). Two other Germans shared third place on the par 71 course at Golf Club Ulm: Benjamin Wuttke and Benjamin Miarka came into the clubhouse at 2 under par.

“The first victory is really something very special. I knew from the very first minute that this course lies quite outstanding for me”, commented Tim Sluiter overjoyed with regard to his first tournament success as golf professional and the successful tournament premiere in Ulm. The EPD Tour performed at Golf Club Ulm for the first time in its history, and the superb but narrow parkland course above all demanded precision from the tee. Gusty wind on the first two days also increased the difficulty and repeatedly forced the players to tee off with irons, whereby the stroke to the green became very long. Fast and especially true greens were waiting there — “the best greens of the season”, says Sluiter, who only required 27, 29 and 25 putts on the three days. “My wedges were very good. I was able to hit the ball close to the flag and really did not miss out on any birdie chance from under three metres.”

His round of 65 was not a new course record – this had been set by German Daniel Wünsche with 63 in the Pro-Am – but the 9 stroke margin was the greatest lead with which a player was able to win a tournament on the EPD Tour in the 2010 season.

Now it remains to be seen whether Tim Sluiter has started his final spurt at the right time: due to the victory he moves forward from 18^th place to 12^th place in the EPD Tour Order of Merit. In order to still be able to take action in the contest for the five top positions which garner the ticket for the 2011 Challenge Tour at the end of the season, he would require another victory and another top result. But there are only two tournaments remaining in this season: the Preis des Hardenberg GolfResort (5 to 7 September) and die Fulda EPD Tour Championship (24 to 26 September). At the beginning of the year Sluiter tried his hand on the Asian Tour, but thereby missed out on the Winter Series of the EPD Tour in Turkey and in Morocco. Then he decided to play his first season as a golf profession on the EPD Tour after all. “I will try everything to still reach the top 5. I know it will be difficult, but I am very confident.”

Six tickets to Stage 2

Local matador Torben Baumann, former top amateur from Baden-Württemberg who has been completing training as a golf instructor at the neighbouring Golf Club Donau-Riss since the beginning of the year and recently relocated his residence to Ulm, provided the greatest surprise in Ulm from a German perspective. With five starts on the EPD Tour up to now he survived the cut for the first time — and promptly landed in 2^nd place: “I was finally able to practice a bit more again”, says Baumann in explaining the improvement in performance. Now he first wants “to finish the training as golf instructor” in order to calmly think about a possible career as a tournament player afterwards.

Benjamin Miarka from Hanover has concentrated purely on tournament golf for many years. The 3^rd place he shared with namesake Benjamin Wuttke at the Chronos Cup brought the leap from 7^th place to 5^th place on the EPD Tour Order of Merit. For one thing, Miarka is thereby exempt from stage 1 of the qualifying school. The same applies to Max Kramer (who is ranked No. 1), Daniel Wünsche, Grant Jackson (England) and Dennis Küpper as well as Dutchman Jurrian van der Vaart, the number 6 on the ranking list. At the same time, he has the best prospects to return to the Challenge Tour, which he was a member of until 2009.

At any rate, the season finale of the 2010 EPD Tour will remain exciting up until the final putt. By way of calculation, about a dozen players have the possibility to push their way into one of the five top places on the ranking list during the two still remaining tournaments and thereby to garner a ticket to the Challenge Tour for 2011.

Official Scores & Prize money

Tim Sluiter is three ahead at the 2010 Chronos Cup

Ulm (mat) – Dutchman Tim Sluiter is the new leader after 36 holes of the 2010 Chronos Cup in Ulm/Germany. With rounds of 69 and 67 he is already three shots ahead of Christoph Pfau from Austria. German professionals Benjamin Miarka, Jochen Lupprian and Benjamin Wuttke (picture above) share 3rd place with 2 under par. With 66 strokes Wuttke shot the best round on Tuesday.

The Chronos Cup is the 3rd last event of the season, and plus after the last putt today the decision will be made, which six players procede directly to Stage 2 of the Qualifying School.

Grant Jackson and Benjamin Miarka share the lead in Ulm

Ulm (mat) – Grant Jackson from England (above) and Germanys' Benjamin Miarka (picture below) took the first round lead at the 2010 Chronos-Cup in Ulm. On Monday both played rounds of 68 on the par 71 course of the Ulm Golf Club where the EPD Tour stops for the first time in its history.

For both a good result is of great importance in Ulm: Miarka is ranked No. 7 of the EPD Tour Order of Merit – the Top 6 after his tournament do get direct entrance to Stage 2 of the Qualifying School. And Grant Jackson want's to make sure he will be among the top 5 after the last event of the season, too. And also the No. 3 of the rankings is still waiting for his 1st victory on the EPD Tour.

Chronos-Cup: EPD Tour professionals play in Ulm

Ulm/Germany (mat) – For the first time in its history a tournament of the EPD Tour is held in Ulm Golf Club. The 2010 Chronos-Cup is the third last tournament of the season and offers 30,000 euro prize money. For all players not yet in the top 5 of the EPD Tour Order of Merit but still close enough top move into the Challenge Tour ticket positions this would be the perfect moment to land a victory. Tiago Cruz (picture above) for example is just 1311 euros behind 5th place.