Copsey opens his Winter Series account

David Copsey (DCGS Poult Wood) battled the elements at Littlestone in the second Winter Series event, supported by Titleist & FootJoy, shooting a two-over-par 73 to beat local man Bruce MacDonald by one shot.

Littlestone’s back nine proved the toughest of the day’s challenges. Out in level par with two birdies, Copsey fought hard to keep the bogeys off his card, but had to settle for three of them at the 12^th, 13^th and 16^th. On the final tee he needed a birdie to win, and he duly finished with a winning birdie four on the par five 18^th to edge out MacDonald and take the £350 winner’s cheque.

MacDonald had come in some 20 minutes earlier to be the leader in the clubhouse with a three-over-par 74 despite also finishing with a birdie on the 18th, but eventually had to settle for second spot and a cheque for £280, edging out Thomas Muchmore (Kingsnorth) into third place and a cheque for £240.

Copsey was delighted to notch up his eighth win of the year and get his attack on the latest Winter Series underway.

“It’s been a pretty good year with some useful results, and while today’s score was somewhat higher than those other victories, it was a really good win under very difficult circumstances,” he said.

“Littlestone itself was in terrific condition and as usual it proved the perfect venue for some very challenging late season golf.”

Local hero MacDonald’s back nine reinforced Copsey’s comment. He also went out in level par, but turning back into the wind that was only getting stronger, two bogeys ensued down the 10^th and 11^th, with two more on the 14^th and 16^th. His birdie finish was good enough to put Copsey under a bit of pressure, but as one of 2016’s seasoned winners, Copsey rose to the challenge and bagged his first 2016-2017 Winter Series victory.

The next events in this series are the 36 holes tournament at Prince’s on the 30^th  and 31^st of January 2017, followed by the unmissable Swinley Forest on the 21^st of February, and The Berkshire the day after. The London Golf Club provides the next Winter Series challenge on the 6^th of March.