Godwin and McGuirk Chart Success
14/05/2013
Jordan Godwin (Rochester and Cobham) and Rob McGuirk (Prince’s) shared the spoils at a very windy Chart Hills, with both players shooting three-under-par 69 to win the first PGA Leaderboard Challenge Pro-Am supported by C+K Specialist Cleaning Group.
Taking cheques for £625, the pair edged out Daniel Young (Woldingham), Michael Hart (Nevill) and Paul Nessling (Cooden Beach) who all shot two-under-par 70.
Despite a two to three club wind, Godwin produced a bogey-free round, hitting 14 greens in regulation and birdieing three of Chart Hill’s par fives. McGuirk had five birdies but dropped shots at the seventh and eighth proved expensive. Young also shot five birdies, but bogeys at the third, ninth and 13th spoiled a promising card, while Hart’s four birdies made up for his costly double-bogey on the short third.
McGuirk’s experience of strong winds around Prince’s gave him a winning edge as he explained: “The course was made significantly more difficult with that wind, as the overall scoring showed from what was a pretty strong field. But it’s par for the course down on the coast at Prince’s, so the conditions felt like business as usual! Chart Hills was in great condition in spite of the long cold winter and spring, and the greens were particularly good.”
As Godwin explained, two long putts at the third and 13th made all the difference. He said: “I didn’t think three-under was going to be enough to win, and looking back those two long putts of 20 feet and over 30 feet kept my momentum going at critical points in the round.
“I played really solidly, thanks to a lot of practice that I’ve been putting in the last few weeks. My driving was pretty good, and despite the wind I missed just two fairways which made the shots to the greens much more straightforward.
“It’s nice to open my season with a win, especially with the first Order of Merit event, the Virgin Atlantic PGA Southern Open Championship, coming up in a couple of weeks’ time. I’ll focus on keeping the positive thoughts going, as my aim is to get into the top ten of the Order of Merit this year.”
The second PGA Leaderboard Challenge Pro-Am also supported by C+K Specialist Cleaning Group will be held over the Ian Woosnam Course at Dale Hill Hotel & Golf Club on Wednesday 25 September. Team entries are still available at £300 per team and please contact The PGA in England (South) Office on 01483 224200 to enter or simply return the entry form.
