Back on pole: Max Kramer triumphs in Lich

With a brilliant birdie on the final hole Max Kramer from Frankfurt/Germany secured victory at the Licher Classic, tournament No. 13 of the 2010 EPD Tour season. After 54 holes the 26 year old was three shots ahead of his fellow countrymen Jochen Lupprian and Daniel Alexander Froreich

by Matthias Lettenbichler

Lich – During the first two days Max Glauert from Duesseldorf had dominated the 30,000 euro tournament in Lich/Germany, shooting rounds of 65 and 68 on Monday and Tuesday at the 2010 Licher Classic. But then stormy winds and a 79 on his Wednesday-scorecard swept away all his hopes for his maiden victory on the EPD Tour and brought Max Kramer back on the winners’ track. With rounds of 68, 68 and a final 70 on the excellent par 71 course of the Licher Golf-Club the 26 year old from Frankfurt secured himself the trophy and the 4814 euro first prize.

For Kramer it was a satisfying comeback: In 2008 he had finished the EPD Tour as runner-up in the final Order of Merit and therefore moved on to the 2009 Challenge Tour. But last year obviously was not supposed to be the best of his career so far: He finished as No. 143 of the final rankings of the Challenge Tour and right away lost his playing rights on this 2nd league of European professional golf.

With a new coach (Felix Lubenau from Munich) he started into the 2010 season on the EPD Tour again, but a torn ligament did not allow him to perform at the Winter Series the way he wanted.

But once this problem was healed and the ankle strong again, he immediately showed his potential with a 2nd place at the Heidelberg Lobenfeld Classic. Today’s victory shot his name forward to 2nd place of the Order of Merit – just some 228 euro behind Daniel Wuensche, another German and No. 1 of the EPD Tour Order of Merit.

“I am very happy to be back again und very glad I can still win tournaments”, Kramer said after he had received the trophy. “I definitely want to finish in the top 5 by the end of the season – well, indeed I want to win the 2010 EPD Tour Order of Merit!”

So next weeks’ tournament, the Land Fleesensee Classic, should be a very interesting event: Kramer wants to take over pole position in the rankings – what means at least to finish better than Daniel Wuensche – not only the reigning No. 1 but also the defending champion in Fleesensee.