Double hat-trick for “Tom”
07/07/2014
Michael Watson – familiarly known as “Tom” after this year’s USA Ryder Cup captain – is celebrating a remarkable double hat-trick.
The Wessex Golf Centre professional is again showing some of the legend’s on-course form after winning the Rotary Club of St Austell pro-am title at Carlyon Bay for his third successive event in five days following the Dudsbury Masters Order of Merit tournament and Lilley Brook pro-am.
It also completed his hat-trick of wins over the cliff-top course overlooking the rugged Cornish coastline in the annual event that has raised thousands of pounds for local charities.
Last year he shared top place with Richard O’Hanlon (St Kew) and was joint winner with Barry Austin (Downes Crediton) in 2012.
This time his four-under-par 68 brought outright victory. Four birdie threes at the sixth, 12th, 14th and 16th plus an eagle at par five 10th and two dropped shots brought a three-stroke win over Austin, former Carlyon Bay amateur star Grant Slater (Trevose) and Laura Hendriksen (The Palace Hotel, Torquay).
Hendriksen, nee Eastwood, the 2005 England amateur champion and three-time WPGA Order of Merit winner, was making her first appearance of the season after the birth of her first child. Her one-under 71 contained four birdies, one bogey and a five at the par-three 11th.
Slater made six birdies and was heading for second place alone, despite three bogeys, until he made five at the par-three closing hole. Austin dropped three shots and carded four birdies.
Three other Cornish-based players Chris Gill (Newquay), O’Hanlon and James Ruth (China Fleet) shared fifth on level-par 72 while former Cornish star and PGA Cup player Tony Nash, now representing Porthpean Golf Club, claimed eighth on 73 in his annual appearance.
Slater led the winning team of Martin Bullock, Dominic Blacker and Dave Saget on 16-under 128. Watson’s trio of Lewis Gough, Jackie Wheeler and Doreen Gough were second on countback from O'Hanlon’s team of Tom Crocker, Steve Churchill and John Alton.
