Birdie blast puts Harris on top

Jamie Harris (Nevill) reeled off four closing birdies on route to a 66 and one stroke victory in the Royal Blackheath Pro-Am.

His four under par total edged out the 67s of Benn Barham (Kingshill) and Nick Redfern (AIA Group) and earned the 2012 southern money list winner a cheque for £800.

Starting at the ninth, Harris bogeyed the 10th and 11th with nine-irons from the middle of the fairway both missing their target, the errors then compounded by his failing to get up and down in two.

Two-over-par after three holes, Harris birdied the 14th and 17th to restore his card, but while his driver continued to find the middle of the fairway his putter refused to find the mark for a further five holes.

Then on the fifth Harris holed a handy 20 footer for his third birdie to go one-under-par and back in the hunt with three holes to go.

On in two at the par five sixth, two putts secured his next birdie. Harris then produced a cracking second shot at the next and holed the eight foot putt to reach three-under.

Facing his final tee shot at the 153 yard eighth, Harris calmly parked it within eight foot, lined it up and holed that as well to complete an amazing birdie charge and claim his first win of The PGA in England (South) 2013 schedule.

“I made a bad start missing those two nine-irons early on from the middle of the fairway, but things came together nicely at the end,” he said, “but although I was playing OK, I wasn’t holing anything.

“Then three good putts on the last four holes turned an average card into a winning one.

“It gives me a boost going into the first Order of Merit event, the PGA Southern Open Championship at The Drift, as it’s a course I really like. I also like the other Order of Merit courses like Prince’s and Foxhills which always helps my golf.

“Winning with my sponsor’s team from KRL made this an even more memorable day as they’re great supporters of the region as well as myself.

“I’m very much looking forward to my next event, the One Last Hill Charity Pro-Am at Woking in support of the MS Society, as my brother’s got multiple sclerosis and I will have the opportunity to show my support for him.”