Ford snatches title down final straight

With a two-under-par burst over the last six holes Matthew Ford (C+K Group) snatched his own sponsor’s Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit tournament title, the C+K Group PGA Kent Open Championship, from Richard Wallis (Walmer & Kingsdown) at a blowy and firm Prince’s GC.

 In an unexpected turn of events, Ford finished on a total of four-under-par 212 (68, 69, 75) to take the largest winner’s cheque of the season, £2,000. His two birdies down the stretch at the 15^th and 16^th edged out a great performance by Michael Lowe (Leatherhead) who shot 69 for a total of three-under-par 213 and £1,500. After four bogeys in the last six holes, Wallis finished on 79 for a total of 214 to take third place and £1,000.

Wallis had dominated the first two rounds of the three round tournament with 66 and 69 to be nine-under-par, although Ford stayed in touch after shooting 68, 69 to be two strokes behind. Lowe’s first two rounds of 72, 72 left him trailing by nine, but his third round of 69 was easily the best score in final afternoon with the coastal wind strengthening all the time, only equalled by Steve Purves (Leeds Castle).

After playing 15 rounds of tournament golf in 16 days in three different countries, Ford was fighting tiredness as well as the wind, but despite being four strokes behind on the 12^th, dug deep to keep his ball in business and reach the finishing line in good shape.

“I made a couple of great up and downs on the 13^th and 14^th, a good two putt birdie on the par five 15^th, and hit my approach to six feet for another one on the 16^th,” he commented, “which put me all square with Richard after he’d made bogeys at the 13^th and 15th.”

Then at the 17^th Wallis dropped another shot while Ford made par, and suddenly he was a shot in front. “I knew I needed to make at least a par down the 18^th to have a good chance of winning, although at that point neither of us knew that Michael had shot 69 to be the leader in the clubhouse on three-under.”

After splitting the fairway Ford made one of the best approaches of the day to the final green by hitting his ball to five foot, and although the putt didn’t drop, Ford finished safely on four-under-par to lift the title by one shot from Lowe.

Despite Ford’s second major win, Wallis still leads the race for the 2013 Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit and with Ford abroad for the Tylney Park Classic on September 23^rd and 24^th, Wallis will be aiming to capitalise, as will Lowe who is looking for a top three finish and a place in the Titleist PGA Play-Offs.