Bullen adds PGA in Sussex Championship to his county collection

25/08/2020

In-form Michael Bullen added another county title to his collection by winning the PGA in Sussex Championship at Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club.

The victory in the Shepherd Neame-sponsored tournament came less than three weeks after Bullen had won the PGA Kent Open at Prince’s Golf Club.

But there the similarities ended. Whereas the pro from Rustington Golf Centre shared first place at Prince’s, he turned the Stableford format event in East Sussex into a procession.

Topping the quality of golf that saw him win the 2019 PGA Assistants’ Championship and PGA Play-Offs, Bullen amassed 45 points to leave the field trailing in his wake.

A birdie, birdie start followed by an eagle at the par-five fifth and two more birdies saw him amass 24 points on the front nine.

His negotiation of the back nine, by comparison, was more sedate. It featured another eagle, at the par-five 12^th, two more birdies and a chink in his armour – a bogey at 16.

That solitary blip in his nine-under-par round of 63 meant he finished eight points as opposed to nine ahead of the trio sharing second place: Stephen Grouwstra of Cottesmore Golf Club, Tilgate Forest Golf Centre’s Lea Cooper and Nicholas Lyons of Lindfield Golf Club.

Each picked up £266 with Lyons boosting his earnings by £50 for finishing second behind Bullen in the competition for PGA trainees. That earned Bullen an additional £100 and took his prize money for the day to £550.

Full scores can be accessed here