Hendriksen warms up at Weymouth

Paul Hendriksen made the perfect preparation for this week’s West Region PGA Championship by winning the latest pro-am at Weymouth with a three-under-par 68.

The Ivybridge Golf Club professional needs a high placing at Saunton to finish in the Order of Merit’s top three and qualify for the Play-Offs, which will be contested over the same East course in October.

His double ambition this season has been to qualify to play in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and retain his place in the PGA Cup team for next year’s clash with the United States.

His impeccable iron play was the key to his third win of the summer on a day of morning showers followed by sunshine and wind in the afternoon.

He made eight threes. They came on all four short holes and he added birdie threes on the first, seventh, 17th and 18th.

Former Seniors Tour winner George Ryall, now representing Burnham and Berrow, played steadily with three birdies and one dropped shot at the par five ninth to finsih second one shot behind.

Barry Forster (North Wilts) shared third despite a wretched start.

Double bogeys at the second and third were unnerving but he rallied with six birdies returning in four-under-par 31, the day’s best back nine.

He was joined on 69 by James Ruth (China Fleet), who carded four birdies and three bogeys and Mark Wiggett (Dudsbury) who picked up three shots and dropped two.

Ashley Mansell (Clevedon), winner of the previous event at Vivary Park, claimed sixth on 71.

The 27th consecutive Weymouth Pro-am that brings the club’s annual Charity Week to conclusion has always been successfully organised by the popular club professional Des Lochrie.

Dan Carter (Upavon) won the pro-am with the Skelly Construction team of Brendan Kelly, Adam Skelton and Sam Peterson who carded 14-under-par 126.

Hendriksen led the GMS team of club caterers Simon Etherington, Pat Crane and Stuart Crane on 130. 

They ousted the Mico Motors trio of Bob Mico, John Rudall and Mark Hambidge, led by Scott Porter (Dorset Golf & Country Club), on countback.