Brown inspired by Westwood and Foster

RYAN Brown hopes to take inspiration from watching Lee Westwood and Mark Foster at Wentworth, when he plays the course next week in a match play competition.

The 24-year-old professional walked around the course in support of his fellow Worksop golfers as they did battle in the BMW PGA Championship.

And next Thursday it’s his turn to take on the Surrey course, in the quarter-finals of the TP Tour match play event.

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Brown, who has picked up wins on the 1836 Tour and TP Tour in the past few weeks, told the Guardian he would love to one day hear the roars that greeted the likes of Westwood last weekend.

“It’s inspiring,” he said.

“I’ve been to Wentworth before, I like watching the local guys and it makes me think about playing there, it would be amazing playing in front of 40,000 people and hearing the roars and the cheers.”

There may not be thousands on the course next week for Brown’s quarter-final match up, but he’s still looking forward to the challenge.

And he’s in great form.

He explained: “About two weeks ago I had a win on the 1836 Tour at Notts Golf Club Hollinwell, I shot a 69, three under par. I played really well and didn’t have a bogey until the last and it was quite windy, it’s a long course so it was nice to get my first win on that tour.”

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Brown followed that with a second place finish on the same tour at Huddersfield Golf Club, firing a 68 despite a double bogey at the 17th hole.

That result, and a round of 73 at Moortown in Leeds, gave him a first place bonus for combined scores over the two events.

An eighth place on the Jamega Tour this weekend was somewhat soured by a poor performance on the greens, an area of his game he’s been working on with none other than John Westwood, father of the world number three golfer.

“John has been helping me after I started the year playing well but not putting well, and he’s changed my putting stroke,” he said.

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“I had a lesson with him before Hollinwell and I gave it a go and won, putting really nicely, so I’m really grateful to him.”

“I had six three putts this weekend, so I’ll be out with him again on the putting green working hard on it.”

Brown takes on Tom Reid, a Wentworth PGA professional, and he’s expecting a tough task.

“The course looked pretty good last week, and it looked pretty tough,” he said. “If you drive it well you’ve got a chance.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”