Lee Slattery has been named the Hilton European Tour Golfer of the Month for September after winning the M2M Russian Open and finishing runner-up in the KLM Open in consecutive weeks.
The Englishman lost his European Tour card in agonising fashion at the end of the 2014 season when he finished one spot outside the top 110, but his heartache turned to joy when he finished one shot clear of Tano Goya for an emotional victory at Skolkovo Golf Club, in Moscow.
It was the 37 year old’s second European Tour title, and his first since the 2011 Bankia Madrid Masters – a wait of three years and 332 days – and he almost made it two in as many weeks when, buoyed by his Russian triumph, he pushed Belgian Thomas Pieters all the way in The Netherlands.
Bidding to become the first Englishman since Lee Westwood in 1999 to win consecutive European Tour events, Slattery’s third round of 63 in the KLM Open moved him firmly into contention at Kennemer Golf and Country Club. However, he missed a four foot par putt on the 72nd hole to make it into a play-off with Pieters, and instead had to settle for a share of second place alongside Spaniard Eduardo de la Riva.
Those two performances earned Slattery the Hilton European Tour Golfer of the Month award for the first time, and he also receives Hilton HHonors Diamond Elite Status, the highest tier of Hilton’s renowned loyalty scheme, for his achievement.
“I will treasure this award,” said Slattery. “It means a lot to me. I remember the last time I won on The European Tour, young Tom Lewis had just turned professional and won so brilliantly in Portugal. He pipped me to that Golfer of the Month award, so it is nice to finally win one, and hopefully there are a few more in the future.
“My win in Russia meant a lot of my family. My wife’s dad has not been very well, but I managed to juggle things around and practise hard and it paid off.
“Then to go to the KLM Open, my confidence was high and it still is. I was struggling a bit again this year and I needed a big cheque, so to have a win and to follow it up with a second was two dream weeks for me, especially as it could almost have been two wins.
"It just shows what hard work can do, and you just have to be patient off the course as well as on the course.”
Lee Slattery
The September award proved keenly contested, with Slattery edging out Rikard Karlberg, the Swede who captured his maiden European Tour title at the 72º Open D’Italia presented by Damiani, making up the three-shot final round lead held by two-time Major Champion Martin Kaymer, before defeating the German in a play-off.
Third place went to Pieters, who backed up his maiden title at the D+D REAL Czech Masters in August with a second victory in as many appearances in the KLM Open, while Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee was also commended for his victory in the Porsche European Open.
Phil Casey, Golf Correspondent for the Press Association and a member of the voting panel, said: “It was a great story to see someone who struggled to make the most of their first win eventually come good again, and then follow the highs of his win in Russia by almost doing it again the next week in The Netherlands.
“Throughout his struggles, Lee was always very accessible and approachable, and his win in Russia, and indeed this award, shows that sometimes nice guys can finish first.”
John Huggan, from Golf World magazine, said: “Rikard Karlberg and Thomas Pieters were both strong contenders, and while it was tempting to go for Thomas, I think he is so good that he will win this award in the future, and therefore my vote went to Lee, who thoroughly deserves it.
"Lee has had his struggles, and so to win and finish second in consecutive weeks was a great achievement.”
John Huggan
Slattery joins Danny Willett (December and July), Gary Stal (January), Anirban Lahiri (February), Richie Ramsay (March), Wu Ashun (April), Byeong-Hun An (May), Alex Noren (June), and Shane Lowry (August) as contenders for The 2015 European Tour Golfer of the Year, which will be decided by a selection panel at the culmination of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
In addition to members of the golfing media who voted for Slattery, fans of ‘My European Tour’ were also involved in the award, with the new format allowing them to vote at www.europeantour.com and try to match the expert panel’s 1-2-3 for September.
This winner of the My European Tour competition, along with each of the other monthly winners from March to September, will earn a two-night stay at any Hilton Portfolio hotel worldwide, while all seven winners will be entered into a prize draw to win an incredible three-night stay in Dubai for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
