Barrington’s happy return to Weston
27/01/2017
Former Weston-super-Mare club professional Paul Barrington returned to his former base to share top spot in the Gloucester and Somerset PGA medal on a bitterly cold day on the North Somerset coast.
The Inplay Golf (Bristol) proprietor matched the early clubhouse target of 66 set by Total Triumph Order of Merit leader Giuseppe Licata (Chipping Sodbury) who shrugged off his broken toe with another impressive display.
Licata (Chipping Sodbury) played with his protective ‘flip flop’ on his left foot for the second week running and, unlike at the previous week at Minehead, adapted well. He shot four-under-par to record his fifth win of the season.
His success was founded on a remarkable five-under back nine which started with an eagle at the par four 10th which was shortened by 150 yards. Birdies followed at 15, 17 and 18.
Barrington, who served at the club in the 90’s, has become a force to be reckoned with now he is playing more regularly in the county events. Well-known as a trick shot genius, he claimed his second success of the season following his win at Chipping Sodbury in October.
The points he gained also moved him up to fourth in the hotly contested OOM where just over four points cover the players from third to sixth.
Although a brisk wind blew from a very unusual direction making club selection and distance control tricky in sub-zero temperatures improving home assistant Dan Toogood continued his good start to the year by registering another top three finish.
He shared third on 69 with Knowle’s head professional Nigel Warburton who made his best return of the season following a few injury niggles before Christmas.
David Dixon (Enmore Park), Ed Goodwin (Cirencester), James Jakes (Knowle), David Morris (Forest of Dean and Ashley Mansell (Clevedon) shared fifth on 70.
