Brown completes 'life-changing' win in Moscow

Former Sussex club professional Simon Brown has followed in the footsteps of fellow PGA pros Paul Wesselingh and George Ryall by winning on the European Senior Tour.

The Germany-based club pro survived a rollercoaster finish to win a rain-soaked Russian Open Golf Championship at Moscow Country Club.

His maiden Senior Tour win reflects the strength in depth in the PGA pro ranks with many seeing turning 50 as an opportunity to pursue fresh playing challenges.

It has been quite a journey for Brown, who finished tied fourth at the Russian Open here 17 years ago on the Challenge Tour, having spent much of his life as a club professional at Golf Club Rhein-Sieg in Germany, and he heralded Sunday as a “life changing day”.

“It’s been a bit of a story I suppose,” he continued. “I think I expected a bit too much of myself when I first got on Tour but the last few weeks a change back to my old putter has helped me to play well again.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of my time as a professional in Germany but this is different – the biggest win of my career by far and a life changing day.”

Brown is the fourth rookie to win on the 2013 Senior Tour in the last five events, following Steen Tinning (Berenberg Masters), Santiago Luna (SSE Scottish Senior Open) and Colin Montgomerie (Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters).

In the build-up to his tilt at the tour, Brown worked hard on his fitness with the Titleist Performance Institute and also received some regular coaching from PGA Master Professional Denis Pugh.

He previously worked in Austria for nine years but has been based in Germany since 1991.

“The tour is a new adventure, I got my tour card and have been working quite a bit towards this over the last few years.”

Brown completed a wire-to-wire win, despite a closing five holes which featured a double bogey, a bogey and three birdies. It gave the 50-year-old a closing 70 and sealed a 12-under-par 206 total and a two-shot cushion over joint runners-up Mike Harwood and Carl Mason (both 68).

The victory also propels him from 51st to fifth in the Order of Merit thanks to a winner’s cheque of €97,305.

With almost constant rain peppering the outskirts of the Russian capital on Sunday, Brown, who led by one overnight, birdied the second before making his first bogey in 39 holes at the difficult third.

Two gains in succession from the sixth extended his advantage before a manic close saw his lead wiped out.

Playing in the third from last group, Australia’s Harwood and Mason of England were on the surge as a gain for the former at the long 17th and a birdie from the bunker for the latter at the last handed the pair a clubhouse total of ten under par.

Almost simultaneously, Brown, who had looked entirely composed all week in his pursuit of a first title since gaining his card at Qualifying School in January, lost his ball with an errant drive at the par four 14th en route to a double bogey.

He bounced back immediately with a birdie at the long 15th but when he missed a short par putt at the following hole to slip to ten under for the tournament a play-off with Harwood and Mason looked imminent.

Brown kept his nerve, however, rattling in a 25-foot birdie at the 17th before almost holing a quite magnificent seven iron approach to the par four last for the easiest of tap-ins and a superb maiden victory.

“Funnily enough I was quite calm, despite how the score card must look,” said Brown who did his PGA training at Golf at Goodwood and West Sussex Golf Club.

“I was disappointed to lose a ball at 14 but I told myself just to keep going and hung in there for a strong finish.

“But that shot into 18 was very nice. That took all the pressure off and I was able to enjoy the walk up to the green.”