Gane claims Nelson victory
23/09/2017
Chris Gane took his turn in the limelight after shooting a four-under par round of 66 to win the Nelson Trophy Pro-Am at St. George’s Hill.
Claiming the £800 winner’s cheque, Left Handed Golf at Silvermere’s Professional Gane edged out the 67s of runners-up Richard Wallis (Canterbury) and Van Phillips (Stoke Park).
Notching up his fifth win of the 2017 season to date, a delighted Gane said: “It’s been a relatively quiet season for me so far, with some good placings and close finishes, but it’s always a joy to come to St. George’s Hill, one of the best courses anywhere, and play in this event.
“As usual I was playing with Matt Selby who’s been the driving force behind this event, and we were joined by Jeremy Lowe and Duncan Reid, both significant players and movers in their own right.
“My opening nine of one-over-par left me with a lot of work to do, but things turned around completely from the first onwards.”
Starting on the 10th, Gane’s round started unpromisingly by dropping a shot on his opening hole.
Another bogey at the 16th was repaired immediately by a birdie at the 17th, but with ten holes left and one-over-par, Gane needed something pretty special if he was to get into the frame.
That was exactly what he delivered, producing a terrific run of three birdies and an eagle in the space of seven holes for a final nine of 30.
Gane’s eagle was on the fourth, a short driveable par four which offers a big target but is defended by large bunkers left and right and one of the trickiest greens on the course.
However, St. George’s Hill’s Andy Raitt in the group in front drove his ball to two feet, and Gane followed that with an almost identical drive, pitching on the bank and rolling back to one foot for his eagle.
Richings Park’s new PGA Southern Professional champion, Chris Rodgers, led his team of amateurs to an impressive victory by a margin of eight shots ahead of their nearest rivals, the teams led by Swedish PGA Professional, Oscar Floren, and St. George’s Hill’s own European Tour man, James Morrison.
With both the main contenders notching up recent wins and placings, the situation in The PGA in England (South) Money List remains unchanged, although with Ablett managing to extend his lead, some daylight is now starting to open up between him and Wallis.
For a full list of results from the Nelson Trophy Pro-Am click here.
