Coles’ red-hot putter delivers at Three Rivers

Rob Coles (Golf Kingdom) produced a deadly display on the greens to surge to success in the Three Rivers Golf and Country Club order of merit tournament.

The former European Tour golfer fired rounds of 70 and 68 to finish at six-under-par – two clear of Andrew Pestell (The Swing Warehouse).

Lawrence Dodd (Culford School) and Pestell made the early running on day two at the superbly-prepared Essex course, while Gary Carter and Giles Evans – two of the three overnight leaders - were also right up there.

But Coles, 48, split a tightly-packed packed leaderboard with a brilliant birdie burst on the back nine. He picked up a shot at the par-5 14th before making a further gain with a 12-foot putt on the 15th green.

The Essex ace completed his birdie hat-trick with a ten footer at the next before conjuring a magnificent par save at the penultimate hole after finding trouble off the tee. He could even afford the luxury of a dropped shot at the tricky final hole, on route to landing the East region’s first order of merit tournament of 2021.

Coles, who made 13 birdies over the two days, said: “I putted well, so that was probably the key to winning.

“I holed a good putt for par on 9 and holed a nice putt on 10 after not hitting a great chip. Those two putts gave me a bit of momentum and then on the middle of the back nine I started to give myself a few chances and managed to take them.

“I wouldn’t say I've played very well this year, so it’s definitely nice to win – but to shoot a good score as well gives you a bit of confidence. I’ve just got to improve a few areas and hopefully I’ll have a decent year.”

Pestell, playing in the group behind Coles, had earlier staged his own birdie onslaught. He picked up strokes at five of the first eight holes to open up a two-shot lead before stuttering early in his back nine.

But Pestell steadied the ship and fizzed a fine iron into the final green to set up a birdie that would lift him into second spot on his own.

Norfolk golfer Evans impressed in his first order of merit tournament, taking a share of third spot alongside Dodd, whose chances of victory went up in smoke with a triple-bogey eight at the 14th.

The next order of merit takes place at Ingrebourne Links on August 3-4.

CLICK HERE to view a full set of scores from the Three Rivers Golf & Country Club Order of Merit.

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