Ablett masters The Addington’s challenge

With a fine round of 70 James Ablett (Lee-on-the-Solent) has claimed his ninth win of the season at The Addington Pro-Am, supported by Coors.

On a day when the scoring was challenging in a US Open style course set-up, Ablett’s performance was good enough to see off the threat from the following pack comprising Matt Rice (Purley Downs), and recent winners Richard Wallis (Canterbury) and David Copsey (DCGS Poult Wood).

Starting at the fifth, Ablett bogeyed the sixth but made pars around the next few dangerous holes before making a birdie at the 12^th. Despite parring what many rate as one of the best par threes in the UK, the 229-yard 13^th, Ablett dropped another shot at the 14^th, but repaired the damage at the par five 16^th with a birdie.

A bogey at the 18^th was immediately made good with a birdie two at the first, and despite one more bogey at the fourth for his one-over-par 70, it was still good enough for pole position. Taking home his well-deserved cheque for £1,000, Ablett reflected on a hard day’s work at the office, saying: “The Addington’s reputation as one of toughest layouts in Surrey is well deserved, and today was no exception.”

He continued: “A strong wind swirling around the tree-lined course put a premium on club selection, and the combination of firm and well defended greens with challenging pin placements meant that getting up and down from off the green was almost impossible today.

“I was pretty solid in terms of the putting from 15 feet and holed a couple of good par saves. I just kept trying to grind out the pars and was more than happy to take the few birdies that came my way.”