Dynamic duo make a splash at Blackheath

Barnehurst PGA Assistant Professional, Jordan Godwin, and Gary Gilligan (Wildernesse) overcame heavy rain and strong winds to tie for victory in the Royal Blackheath Pro-Am, shooting level par rounds of 70.

Their par performances edged Lea Cooper’s 71 (Burgess Hill Golf Academy) into third place, and all three acknowledged it was the worst day’s weather they’d played in for a long time.

“It rained from start to finish, getting heavier as the round progressed – I got through five gloves just trying to hang on to the club!” said Godwin.

“By the end of the round it was a two to three club wind that always seemed to be blowing across the holes.”

Playing a shotgun start, both started with birdies: Godwin at the 10th and Gilligan at the 18th. From thereon, both played percentage golf just to cope with the conditions.

Godwin’s birdie start was undone by a bogey at the next and then another at the 14th, but he repaired the damage with a birdie at the 15th.

A bogey at the 17th saw him one-over at the turn, and another bogey at the first put him on two-over, but after pars at the next four holes he then struck his best drive and a four iron to ten foot to make an eagle at sixth and get back to level par.

Three more pars followed, but he had birdie chances at each one, saying: “My golf through the green was really good, thanks largely to all the work I’m doing with my coach Ben Clayton (Hindhead), but my putting left a lot to be desired.

“I had several short-ish putts lip out and missed ten footers at the last three holes, so we’re checking the putting out next!”

After birdieing the 18th, Gilligan bogeyed the first, birdied the second and bogeyed the third to stay on level par, and a deuce at the eighth got him to one-under at the turn.

A bogey on the 10th was followed by pars, and a birdie at the 15th got him in front on one-under again, but his hopes were dashed with a dropped shot on the 16th and he finished on level par.

Gilligan said: “I was just playing conservatively, avoiding any major errors at the harder holes, and putting pretty well, thanks to the recent session at the Harold Swash Putting Academy.”

With The PGA in England (South) tournament season in full swing both players were confident they could add to their hauls in 2015.