Cort’s dual success in Cornwall
20/04/2018
Matt Cort (right), Cornwall winner, receives trophy from Robert Moss, regional manager.
Matt Cort won the season-opening Asbri Golf PGA Cornwall Festival after carding his best round for 18 years – a staggering, course record eight-under-par 64 at Carlyon Bay.
The 43-year-old Beedles Lake player from Leicester said: “It was up there with my best ever rounds, comparable with the nine under I made in 2000. Everything went right, I reached the par fives in two and managed to hole the putts when necessary.”
He was out in three-under 32 and back in five under aided by four successive birdies from the 13th in a flawless round.
At last the predicted sunshine arrived, the winds that brought carnage over the first two days dropped and most players were able to don short sleeved shirts for the first time this year.
The experienced Cort is a former European Tour and PGA Cup player, was Midland Order of Merit champion four years in a row and PGA National Assistants champion three times in succession. He also won in Cornwall two years ago but missed last year’s event as he was playing on the Challenge Tour in Turkey.
“I managed to hang in there the first two days and a great four-under back nine at Trevose set me up although I was wary of Dave Dixon. I played in a pro-am at Monte Rai in Portugal in January where he won. He was only two behind and quite capable of shooting six under at Trevose so I had to play attacking golf on a lovely day at a delightful hill-top course.”
Enmore Park’s Dixon finished second seven shots behind on 203 following an uneventful three-under 69. James Ruth (China Fleet) recorded one-under 68 at St Enodoc to claim third. He shared with Welsh Professional champion Sion Bebb (Morlais Castle) who burst through the field with a best-of-the-week 66 at Trevose.
They were the only players to finish the week under par. Dan Toogood (Weston-super-Mare), Nicky Maddison (Saunton), and European Seniors Tour regular Phillip Price shared fifth on two-over 215 in an event also supported by Golfbreaks.com.
Cort’s exploits also contributed to his team winning the team prize after an amazing 23-under-par final return of 95 after previous scores of 75 and 84. He was helped by Brendan Donnelly (Ferndown), Jamie Simpson (Beedles Lake) and Dean Briggs (Kingfisher).
Overnight leader Piltdown’s Maria Tulley trio finished third six behind, despite an impressive 81 at St Enodoc. Sweden-based PGA pro Jonathan Grogan (Hills Golf Club, Gothenburg) celebrated his first appearance at the Festival by climbing into second spot after 87 at Carlyon Bay.
Robert Moss, the regional manager, was relieved when the final day was played in warmer, tranquil, sunny conditions after the ravages of the winds earlier.
He said: “It was a bit nerve-racking because of the weather. We had all seasons in three days but fortunately the final day brought brilliant sunshine and there were many more red figures on the leaderboard.”
