Debut home win for Tom at Woodbury Park

Tom Jessamine could hardly have chosen a better venue to celebrate his first win in a PGA in England (South West) pro-am – his own Woodbury Park Hotel and Golf Club.

The 23-year-old second year trainee shot six-under-par 67 to claim his biggest pay day of £860. He shared top spot with Lee Thompson (Dudsbury), last year’s Order of Merit champion who is this year’s joint leader with Liam Bond, replicated the score.

The leaderboard of heavy hitters also featured Paul Hendriksen (Ivybridge) and Richard O'Hanlon (St Kew) third on 68 and  Kevin Harper (East Devon) and Mark Wiggett (Dudsbury) joint fifth on 69.

James Ruth (China Fleet) and Stuart Little (Minchinhampton) returned 73 and were matched by occasional player, left hander Ben Martin, golf manager at Exeter Golf and Country Club.

Jessamine, who was joint top with Ruth when the Devon PGA visited Okehampton this month, made seven birdies, four going out when he dropped his only shot at the seventh, and three coming in. Thompson also dropped one shot at the fourth and was hone in four-under 32.

Hendriksen led the Benissa Planning team of low handicappers from the Exeter area including home member Tom Woodhouse, a firmer county star playing off plus one, Mark Pitcher and James Delve who carded 19-under-par 91.

Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) led his Wessex Boys of Dorset players Rob Price, Gareth Price and Steve Roberts from Dorset Golf and Country Club who was his caddy for the PGA Cup in California last year and occasionally works for the PGA at Order of Merit events.

They returned 88 and won on countback from Giuseppe Licata (Chipping Sodbury) leading DD- CAP/ENCON with Aston Mills, Stuart O’Higgins and Justin Moylan-Jones.