I fancy driving round with Van

Jun 22 2008 Euan Mclean

DELIGHTED Dutchman Reinier Saxton lifted The Amateur Championship and a dream ticket to next month's Open - then set his sights on a round with his football hero Marco van Basten.

The 20-year-old's impressive 3&2 triumph over English teenager Tommy Fleetwood at Turnberry yesterday probably won't hog the back pages in his homeland on the same day that Holland faced a huge game at Euro 2008.

But Saxton hopes his success - and the starting slot at Royal Birkdale and next year's US Masters - will catch the eye of national coach Van Basten, a fellow member of his home club Houtrak.

Saxton grinned: "Van Basten didn't do much for a few years after he stopped playing football so he played a lot of golf - and I talked to him a few times at our club.

"I've never played a round with him before, he always preferred to be alone, but maybe he'll come looking for me now!"

Saxton celebrated sinking the winning putt on the 34th hole by downing a few beers while watching on TV as Van Basten's side faced Russia in last night's quarter-final.

But he can raise a glass to the prospect of going up against the best in the world - except, sadly, injured Tiger Woods - when The Open gets underway next month. Not bad for a guy who was on the verge of quitting after falling out of love with the game.

Saxton said: "I'm the kind of player who needs some time off. I don't play every day and if I'm not playing well I don't like the game. I put too much pressure on myself.

"At the start of last year I played badly in one tournament and thought 'I don't feel well, I'm not scoring well so it is better to stop for a while'.

"So I went away and did other stuff. I went on a long holiday - but I was still looking on the internet to see how everybody was scoring, so that told me something.

"In November I phoned the Dutch Golf Federation and told them I'd like to be considered for selection again.

"I'm glad I came back and it feels great to look forward to The Open and The Masters.

"But I have one problem. I told one of my best friends he could caddy for me at The Open if I won here.

"Now, I might be having second thoughts. But he's one of my best friends, so you never know!"

A glance at the world amateur rankings showed little between the finalists with Saxton sitting 673rd and Fleetwood on 681. And there wasn't much between them for the majority of this 36-hole final.

After the morning round they remained locked on all square, although the momentum seemed to have swung the young Englishman's way after winning the last two holes to peg Saxton back.

As the afternoon session started Fleetwood took the lead when his rival lipped out from five feet for bogey. But it was the last time he would hold the advantage.

The defiant Dutchman responded with a lovely 12-footer for birdie on the second then edged one up when Fleetwood bogeyed the third.

After the turn Saxton pushed two-up with a superb up-and-down from a greenside bunker on the 11th then extended his lead at the next.

Saxton thinned his approach to the 13th 40 yards through the back of the green but still did enough to snatch a dramatic half.

That recovery must have floored the Southport kid but he won the 14th after a monstrous 400-yard drive in his bid to go for broke.

But Saxton regained his three-hole lead at the next then halved for victory on the 16th green.

Fleetwood groaned: "He played better than me and deserved to win.

"I can't be disappointed. I did better than 286 other players."