Cracking golf from Wallis earns Order of Merit six-pack

29/09/2020

Richard Wallis was in familiar territory after the PGA Southern Professional Championship at Kings Hill Golf Club – at the top of the PGA South Order of Merit for a remarkable sixth time.

Having won two of the four previous events, the Canterbury Golf Club pro had to settle for finishing tied-fourth in the CK Facilities Management-sponsored tournament at the West Malling venue.

That, however, increased his points advantage over his closest pursuers in the Order of Merit to more than 100 and was testament to a consistency that has seen him not finish outside the top five in any of the five tournaments.

In addition to winning more than £2,400 in prize money for his efforts, Wallis has qualified for the annual end of season PGA Play-Offs which, due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be contested next year.

He will be joined in them by Hampton Court Golf Club’s Angus Mottershead and Matt Ford, the sponsors’ representative.

The pair finished second and third respectively in the Order of Merit and Mottershead booked his place in the Play-Offs thanks to sharing first place at Kings Hill with Chris McDonnell and Guy Woodman.

He had begun the day outside the Order of Merit's top three but a bogey-free round that featured seven birdies coupled with late blips from his co-winners elevated him to second place.

Golf at Goodwood’s McDonnell looked on course for victory when a birdie at the par-four 15 took him to nine-under in the Stableford format event but a double-bogey at the next hole proved costly.

Similarly Woodman, who represents ProAgenda.com, looked well set after six birdies and an eagle but a bogey at the par-four 14^th ruined his chances of outright victory.

As a result all three posted seven-under-par rounds of 65 to amass 43 points and each earn £1016 from an enhanced prize fund worth £10,000.

In the tournament’s subsidiary competitions, Queenwood’s Mark Roberts, Calum Callan of Cottesmore Golf Club and St George’s Hill’s Andy Raitt finished tied-first in the Seniors event with 39 points; Peter Tarver-Jones from West Hove Golf Club was the leading PGA Assistant with 40 points; and Rochester and Cobham Golf Club’s Sian Evans (pictured) finished tied-seventh overall on 39 to win the WPGA event.

Full scores can be accessed here

The final Order of Merit table can be found here