28/10/2014
Chris Gane (Lefthandedgolf@Silvermere) made a triumphant return to the winner’s podium with a superb six-under-par 66 in the Wildernesse Club Pro-Am.
He took the winner’s cheque as he edged James Jones (Tonbridge Golf Centre) into second place, while Richard Wallis (North Foreland), the victor at Sandwich and Wildwood, shot 68 for third spot.
As one of the three players going to the Titleist PGA Play Offs at the end of November, Gane (above) also strengthened his grip on the race for The PGA in England (South) Prize Money List with 10 victories and over £22,000 to his credit to date.
The Virgin Atlantic Little Red 2014 PGA South Order of Merit champion Benn Barham (PGolfCoaching@Pedham) is lying second, and Sussex star, Jamie Harris (Nevill) is in third place.
Gane was delighted with his 10th victory, while acknowledging the rub of the green may have helped.
“I was really solid apart from the fourth which was the only green I missed, but a friendly nudge off one of the trees at the 16th definitely helped as I went on to make a birdie,” he said.
“The course was in great shape, especially the greens where I made a few putts. Now it’s heads down again to get into the best shape I can for the forthcoming Titleist PGA Play-Offs in Turkey, an opportunity I’m so looking forward to. It’ll be great to go there with Benn and James (Ablett), and see what we can do against all the other regional winners.”
Gane started with a birdie at the first and despite dropping a shot at the fourth, went on to birdie the sixth and eighth to be out in two-under-par. He charged through the 11th, 12th and 13th with three more birdies on the trot, adding one more for good measure at the 16th for his winning 66.
Starting on the 18th, Jones soon got down to business with a birdie at the first and adding another at the third. A bogey on the par five six was followed by his bouncing back immediately at the seventh and eighth, and them a charge through the 10th, 11th and 12th put Jones in the lead on six-under-par. However, a dropped shot on the 16th as he headed for home was to prove expensive as Gane birdied the same hole to take the lead and victory.