Harris emerges victorious from Wildernesse
22/05/2014
Southern star Jamie Harris (Nevill) secured a long overdue victory in the Wildernesse Order of Merit, supported by KRL and the second event in the 2014 Virgin Atlantic Little Red PGA South Order of Merit.
However despite finishing with a seven-under-par total of 137, Harris only got his hands on the trophy and the winner’s cheque for £1,750 after a playoff that required three trips down the 18th with his playing partner Lewis Atkinson (The Buckinghamshire).
Winner of numerous pro-ams, Harris had opened with a new course record, a nine-under-par 63, on a day when only 13 other players broke par round the Open qualifying course. Out in front by four, he slipped to a 74 in the second round, but still had a four-foot putt to win despite Atkinson holing an eagle putt on the last green for a 69 and a total of 137.
Convinced his four-foot putt was straight, Harris watched it lip out and force a playoff. The first time down the dog leg par-five 18th, both players hit terrific second shots to set themselves up with eagle putts: Harris with a 12 footer, and Atkinson a foot inside on the same line, downhill and breaking left.
Harris got the line and weight spot on as his ball dropped in the cup, but Atkinson bravely followed suit, so off they went for the second time. This time both found the green in two again, but Atkinson’s ball finished on the top tier 30 feet away, while Harris was below the hole about 25 feet away. Atkinson’s putt finished three feet away while Harris’s shaved the hole, but birdie fours meant it was back in the buggies for another go.
Harris found the fairway while Atkinson went way left but long enough to avoid tree trouble for a second shot over more trees near the green. Snagging one of them, his delicate pitch from secondary rough finished 10 feet short. On in two Harris put his 20 footer stone dead for a birdie. Trying to force another extra hole, Atkinson’s putt stayed out to give Harris the title.
Relieved yet jubilant, Harris commented: “Everything went really well yesterday, but today with trickier pin positions to deal with as well, my short game was nowhere near as hot. Lewis played great golf, but his only putt was for that eagle on the 18th!”
He continued: “It was amazing to think we both eagled and then birdied that same hole in the playoff, but I’m delighted I came out on top, especially after that opening 63.
“Thanks to a lot of people like David Green, Andrew Lawrence and the greenkeeping teams, Wildernesse was in fantastic condition. It was great to win my sponsor KRL’s first Order of Merit event, and although I wasn’t contemplating having a crack at the 2014 Order of Merit, perhaps I should!”
The next Virgin Atlantic Little Red event is the Virgin Atlantic sponsored PGA Southern Open at Drift GC on June 2-3.
