Els has the Nelson touch

Nico Els (Professional Golf Tuition Breaks) has notched up his ninth win of 2019 with a stunning five-under-par 65 around St. George’s Hill’s Colt classic course to claim a £2,000 victory in the Nelson Trophy.

As Els put it: “This is just a fantastic way to finish three days of competitive golf, in perfect weather and on such a fabulous golf course as St. George’s Hill.”

After coming second at Puttenham and tying for the win at Copthorne, in what was his third Pro-Am in three days, Els secured the spotlight – and the biggest cheque - for himself. Starting on the second and playing a course that’s recently seen some major enhancements to Colt’s original design, Els opened with a bogey but he soon went into overdrive.

Birdies followed at the third, fourth and fifth, punctuated by a dropped shot at the sixth. Then to more than make up for that slip, an eagle followed at the seventh, then a bogey and a birdie to be out in 31.

Birdies at the 10th, 13th and 15th were marginally offset by two dropped shots at the 12th and 16th, but a birdie at Els’s last, the newly designed 1st hole, proved decisive. It was just enough to edge the cards of 66 by fellow players Adam Wootton (Oxford Golf Centre) and Chris Gane (Left Handed Golf at Silvermere).

Burhill’s Jackson Jones captained his amateurs to a two stroke win over Chris Gane’s to win the team event and the lion’s share of the typically impressive Nelson Trophy prize table.