Debut win for Mansell at Weston
27/03/2015
Ashley Mansell celebrated his first outing on The PGA in England and Wales (South West) circuit by winning the opening leg in the four-event Titleist-FootJoy Assistants’ Sprint at Weston-super-Mare.
“It was a great start to my season,” said the 24-year-old first-year assistant at nearby Clevedon Golf Club. “This was the best I’ve played for a few years. I was solid tee to green in tough windy conditions that were reflected in some of the other scores.”
The former Somerset county amateur, who spent a year on the Europro Tour before starting his PGA career, shot one-under 69 aided by birdies at the second, tenth and 14th marred by dropped shots at the eighth and 11th. It was the only sub-par round of the day.
He is no stranger to winning as he has twice shared top place on the Gloucester and Somerset PGA circuit this winter.
Andy Place, a former Devon amateur who has returned to the PGA ranks at Staddon Heights, was runner up on 70 followed a shot behind by Rob Jackson who has recently moved from Machynys Peninsula to Morriston in Swansea.
West region assistants champion Toby Hunt (St Mellons) looked a probable winner when he stood on the 14th tee at three-under. But he made two successive bogeys and completely blew his chances by taking six at the 156-yard 17th.
He settled for fourth alongside the in-form Giuseppe Licata (Bristol Golf Centre) with James Maxwell (Teign Valley), Tom Jessamine (Woodbury Park), Henry Pallas (Hamptworth) and Paul Ryder (Henbury) on 73.
