Sport Hull | Golf | Richard Finch
Inspired by Nick Faldo and Sandy Lyle, Finch was 10 when he began playing golf at Springhead Park in Hull.
In 2000, he won the Spanish Amateur Open Championship and two years later he added the English Amateur Championship. It was time to go professional and in 2004, a year after leaving the amateur ranks, he earned his playing privileges.
A 13th place finish at the Dunhill Championships settled his nerves and showed he could turn the potential he showed as an amateur into money.
In his first year he made 12 of 25 cuts and was in line to win the Rookie of the Year award, but a poor end to the season meant he finished third in that category and 60th on the Order of Merit.
His second place finish at the Italian Open in May 2005 remains his highest finish and included a then course record round of 63.
However, his biggest payday came in France when his fourth place finish earned him 137,725 euros.
In 2006, he suffered with the second season syndrome where he struggled to match the form of his debut season.
Making seven of the first nine cuts got him off to a great start but six successive missed cuts meant he was dropping down the Order of Merit.
The final third of the season was all about making even money to keep his card and but finishing 113rd, he did that.
Finishing fourth at the Qatar Masters was the highlight of a season that featured just 20 rounds in the 60s.
This season hasn’t started the best for Finch with more rounds in the 80s (4) than in the 60s (3).
His 47th finish at the Italian Open in May this year ended a run of nine missed cuts.
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