Coles on fire in Turkey

Robert Coles warmed up for next week’s PGA Play-Offs with a third Beko Pro-Am title at Gloria Hotels & Resorts.

The Maylands pro’s past wins came in 2009 and 2013, with the latter also taking place at Gloria in Belek, Turkey, where he again finished on a 12 under par total (204).

His two-under-par final round 70 gave him a four shot victory over former Open and USPGA champion John Daly and Scotland’s Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) who had a hole in one in the firs round.

It was the 20th staging of the Beko Classic and was dedicated to its founder Mustafa Koç who passed away earlier this year.

“It’s been a great week – I got off to a reasonable start and had a great day yesterday and scrambled through today really…so delighted to win three times,” explained Coles.

“It’s quite bittersweet with the sad loss of Mustafa. I think golf in Turkey is better for Mustafa – it’s a great week with the tribute and trophy named after him and hopefully it’s not just this week but it will be years to come that his legacy lives on.”

Coles began the day with a four-shot lead but had lost three of those shots in his opening four holes on Gloria’s New Course. But a birdie on the 18th hole, his ninth, followed by a further three birdies in a row allowed him to recover that deficit, with a further birdie at hole nine to close out the event.

Daly’s round bogeyed the par four 13th hole but bounced-back on the next hole with a birdie and another on 18 which brought him into the second position.

“As always with the last five or six years I’ve been coming here, it’s a class act,” said Daly. “The course was great and all the amateurs and pros loved it and that’s what it’s all about.

“Unfortunately Mustafa wasn’t here to see it this year and I know it was dear to his heart like it is to mine, and that’s why we keep coming back: for him.”

Fox advanced his way up the leaderboard with four birdies and a bogey for a three-under 69.

“Getting an invite and coming out here to this weather and mixing with all the Turkish guys is great and they’re great guys to play with,” added Fox. “You’ve got to be on top of your game here as it’s a great test of golf, both courses are and I love coming here.”