Fowler holds off challenge to land PGA Seniors title
14/06/2015
An emotional Peter Fowler was the toast of Tyneside after claiming the ISPS HANDA PGA Seniors Championship - his second Senior Tour title in as many weeks.
The affable Australian, who won in Jersey last week, was made to battle for his three-shot success over Austrian Gordon Manson at Close House.
Fowler carded a final round one-under-par 70 for a 12-under-par winning total, while Manson closed with a 68 to finish at nine-under. Seniors veteran Carl Mason, a three-time winner of the title, was third at eight-under after carding 70.
What was expected to be a procession to the title for Fowler having being dominant all week turned out to be a test of grit and determination at the Newcastle venue having seen his overnight four shot advantage wiped out by the turn.
A double bogey at the ninth, where he was forced to take a drop, hindering his title challenge.
But the big hitting Aussie, produced a flawless back nine which gleaned birdies at 13, 15 and crucially at 17, which saw a two shot swing in his favour as Manson dropped a shot on the last two putting from close range.
Aided by a Geordie caddie John Simmons from neighbouring Newcastle United Golf Club, Fowler was visibly emotional when collecting the trophy and a cheque for £41,600.
“This is certainly a good one,” said Fowler, who celebrated his 56th birthday this week.
“It was colder so the ball wasn’t going nearly as far, I came up short with a few iron shots and off the tee a few times. I left myself a long shot in on the ninth especially.
“I probably thought after nine I could be caught but it was time knuckle down and play golf.
“It was quite handy to birdie the 17th, I was trying to play the right hand fairway and it ran off a little. But it was still ok to run it up.
“I was up there from start to finish and to play a couple of rounds with Carl Mason on a weekend, you can’t ask for better than that. It’s the best I have played for a few years
“Two wins in a row is something that doesn’t happen very often. There’s a lot of years of hard work, almost 15 years, to get to this stage, so it’s been worth it.
“I am playing really good golf and whether you win or not it’s a bonus, but playing good golf is what I strive to do. That’s what I work to do.
“My putting has been the best it has been for a long, long time, I’m wrapped with that. You can’t win tournaments without your putting.”
Manson, who began his career as a PGA assistant at Ganton in Yorkshire, but has worked and lived in Austria since 1984, secured the best finish of his senior career.
Building on his third round six-under-par 65 – the best round of the week – he was two-under for final round at the turn after gains at the third, fourth and eighth, which offset a bogey at seven.
Manson chipped in at the 10th to grab a share the lead. A birdie at 16 maintained the pressure on Fowler but a bogey on the last brought to an end his title hopes.
But the 55-year-old brushed that aside as he picked up a cheque for £29,120, which will go a long way to securing his place in the Tour next year.
He said: “Playing on the Senior Tour it’s always good at the beginning of the season to put in a really good performance.
“It gives you a lot of confidence and I’m a guy who always has to play for his position every year, so that has been a massive boost to me this week.”
He added: “I wasn’t sure of the situation as I didn’t look at the scoreboards all the way round, it’s better for me to play like that.
“I just kept trying to make birdies and I thought you never know Pete might just have a bit of an off day as the greens aren’t so easy.
“At one stage I was tied with him, I didn’t realise that. Peter said to me ‘Well played you had me sweating out there’ and I gave him a bit of a run for his money. It’s my best ever finish and I’m delighted. There was little blemish on the last but hey I did so much good stuff.”
Mason, who earned £26,820, ended his week in style birdieing the final hole much to his delight.
“I’m very happy. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it’s good to be up amongst them again,” said the 61-year-old.
“The nerve ends are at an end but never mind. I battled on which was pleasing as I didn’t play that well but I saved my best shot till the last and I like that. I’ll come away with good memories.”
