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John enjoys incredible week on home soil
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John enjoys incredible week on home soil

Amateur Allen John is aiming for a place back in the professional ranks after a stunning closing 67 handed him a share of second on home soil at the Porsche European Open.

Allen John

The German has been relying on hearing aids since he was two years old and has only five per cent hearing without them but he has never let that hold him back on the golf course.

After playing collegiate golf in the United States, he turned professional in 2011 and played 12 events on the Challenge Tour the following year but decided to return to the amateur ranks in 2016 - the same year he played his first two events on the European Tour.

In 2017 he won gold at the Deaflympics - an elite event for deaf athletes sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee and in June claimed a victory on the Pro Golf Tour.

He was handed an invite to play this week at Green Eagle Golf Courses and well and truly proved that he belonged, reeling off a hat-trick of gains from the 15th on Sunday - with a birdie on the last from Richard McEvoy the only thing denying him a place in a play-off.

“It's absolutely incredible,” he said. “The atmosphere out there, the people that've been walking with me the 18 holes, it's just an incredible feeling.

“Making birdie after birdie on the back nine was quite cool and when I was on 18 I saw the leaderboard and I was like 'wow, I'm pretty much in contention'. It's a pretty cool feeling.”

The 30 year old admits this has given him a real confidence boost in his game and he would like to once again join the paid ranks in the future.

“There's a lot of self confidence I can take out of the tournament, being in contention, finishing second, that's a pretty amazing feeling and gives me a lot of confidence in the abilities that I can do on a golf course,” he said.

John revealed the way he deals with his condition every day is another thing that gives him confidence, and his fellow golfers are often impressed that he does not let it get in his way.

“It's just been a part of me since I can think of, I've tried to make the best of it,” he said. “You get a lot of self confidence with handling a situation like that. I'm pretty good round that now.

“It's pretty cool, when something is annoying me, I can just go offline and everybody is thinking 'is he even listening?' and I'm like, 'okay, I'm offline'. It has a few advantages.

“I acknowledge the fact that I have a condition and they ask me about it. It's pretty cool because they seem to be interested in what is happening there. Once I explain then mostly they're impressed.”

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