BB&O claim hard-fought Inter-County win

Turkey-bound Guy Woodman was once again on song as he inspired his BB&O team to victory in the PGA England & Wales Inter-County Championship at the Belfry.

Woodman – who played alongside European Tour star Luke Donald on the county circuit as a junior – carded two rounds of 69 to go two-under-par in his final competitive appearance before flying to Antalya for the season-ending PGA Play-Offs next month.

The Longball Inc man, centre, overcame an early bogey at the second, a hole he had birdied on the first day, to ensure he posted the best individual score of the week over the four-time Ryder Cup venue’s PGA National Course.

That meant his team finished the event with a one-over-par total of 138, one shot clear of joint overnight leaders Hertfordshire who were joined in second place on two-over-par by an experienced Lancashire side.

“I’ve been really pleased with my performance this week,” explained Woodman.

“I didn’t get off to the best of starts but I felt I kept it together and made some really important pars on the back nine.

“It is really weird because with the format it’s incredibly difficult to judge how your team is doing.

“I must admit that from what I saw I thought our guys were having a tough day but I just hung in there, got back in and then saw how well they’d done.”

Woodman was ably assisted by ex-PGA Professional champion Paul Simpson, left, and Lambourne’s Scott Marshall, right, – the trio the most consistent in the field across both days as they steered their way towards the £4,000 winners’ cheque.

Simpson, who ended the day with a two-over-par 72, could look back and relish two late birdies which helped to avoid the title, previously won by Yorkshire and Suffolk, slipping into the hands of joint overnight leaders Hertfordshire.

And their victory provided food for thought for team captain Marshall, who claimed his very first win on The PGA’s national tournament schedule.

“I did feel coming in here that I was doing the managerial role, getting us organised and finding places for us to eat," he smiled.

“Guy and Paul are both very good players and I was in very good hands – as I expected they both played excellently and we are all very proud to have been able to win this trophy for our county.”