Cooperman outshines the opposition at Bletchingley

Lea Cooper shot an eventful five-under-par 67 to win the Bletchingley Pro-Am by one shot from runner-up, and current Money List leader, Jamie Harris.

Mike Yorke Golf Academy’s Cooper took home a well deserved cheque for £750 to celebrate his first win of the season, leaving Harris (Nevill) the consolation of moving to the top of the Money List again with a solid four-under-par 68 for second spot.

Cooper’s round comprised three bogeys, two eagles and four birdies. A bogey on the second was soon repaired with a stunning eagle on the third, and two more birdies on the sixth and ninth took him to three-under-par at the turn.

The charge continued at the 10^th with another birdie and then another eagle at the 11^th took him to six-under-par and pole position.

Two solid pars followed, but he stumbled on the 14^th with a bogey and compounded the error on the 16^th with another to drop to four-under-par. Then out of the blue Cooper made a terrific two at the 17^th to reach five-under-par, and a par four down the 18^th secured his card of 67 and victory.

Commenting on his up and down round, Cooper said: “Yes, it was full of highs and lows! But the bogeys were down to a three putt from nowhere and a couple of loose shots.

“The eagles were the result of two cracking approaches to the par fives with my seven iron, on the third to six feet and then on the 11^th to four.”

He continued: “It’s great to get a win under the belt, especially in a strong field like this one. The weather was ideal and the greens were holding if you pitched on them, so I simply tried to take each shot as it came and make as many opportunities as possible.

"While I didn’t hit every fairway, I managed to capitalise on my iron play and putting which were right on song.”