It was case of déjà vu as John Longcake won the English Mid Amateur Championshipand the Logan Trophy for the second time when he cared a closing 66 at Shifnal in Shropshire.

The English Golf Union website report that Cumbria-based Longcake, finished on 202, 11 under par, one ahead of John Kemp from Bedfordshire, whose best-of-the-day 65 was just not good enough, while James Murphy, the Cheshire DJ was third on 206 after a 71.

Five years ago at Royal Birkdale when Longcake triumphed for the first time he also finished a stroke clear of Kemp so lightning does strike twice if not in the same place.

“I was two behind James on the front nine and one behind at the turn. But I birdied the 11th, 12th and 13th, which was crucial but I thought I was four ahead playing the last.

“If someone had told me with a few holes to play what the actual situation was it might have been a lot different. But thinking I had that cushion I wasn’t under any pressure.”

The trio were in contention throughout their rounds but at one stage it seemed it was a straight fight between Kemp and Murphy.

Kemp, the former England international from John O’Gaunt, was out in 33 with Murphy alongside. But a Kemp bogey at the tenth allied to Murphy dropping back from nine to seven under, put everything back into the melting pot.

It was Longcake’s birdie run from the 11th plus another at the 15th that put him in the driving seat even if he felt he was further ahead than he was. However, his homeward run of 31 strokes was good enough to win any tournament.

“To win this again means a lot,” Longcake added. “This has been an unbelievable year for me and this tops it off.

“I’ve won both Cumbria county titles but the county championship was special as my dad won it on five occasions and now I’ve won it six times and he was there to see it.”

After signing for his seven birdie 65, Kemp, playing ahead of Longcake, felt he wouldn’t win. “That won’t be enough,” he declared. “I felt I needed to get to 12 under to be safe but I tried my best.

“I knew that John had got to 11 under so I will just go and shake his hand as I did at Birkdale five years ago.”

That might not be the end of the Longcake’s Logan run. Next year’s event will be held over his home course at Silloth-on-Solway where he would surely start as favourite.

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