Hooper’s master stroke

Mark Hooper claimed a dramatic play-off triumph at the PGA East Region Championship at Essendon Country Club by draining a 35-foot birdie putt.

The Rayleigh Club PGA Professional finished regulation play at four-under-par alongside Ian Ellis, Mark Baker and Darren Charlton.

At the first hole in extra time, it appeared to be advantage Ellis as he sent a superb approach into 10 feet.

But Hooper, 30, rolled home an amazing right-to-left breaker from long range for a three at the 448-yard par-four.

Charlton was unable to hole from a similar distance and neither could Baker from just through the back of the green.

That left Ellis as the only man who could match Hooper’s birdie. But his putt stayed above ground to leave last year’s overall Order of Merit winner savouring a fresh success.

Hooper said: “It was probably the best putt I’ve ever holed, under the circumstances. It has to be, really – to hole one that long in a play-off.

“It was 35 feet, straight down the hill and it was so fast. There was about two feet of break in it, right to left. From probably 10 feet out, I was just hoping it was going to stay on line and it did.”

The victory was the latest feather in Hooper’s cap after last month finishing tied 38^th at Wentworth in the BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour’s flagship event.

At Essendon, he followed an opening 69 with a 71 that concluded with a bogey at the final hole.

Colchester’s Baker, playing in the final group, needed a par at the last to clinch the title. But he found sand with an iron approach and was unable to get up and down.

Hooper and Baker were joined in the play-off by Ellis (Great Yarmouth and Caister) and Charlton, who fired the best two rounds of the tournament. Ellis shot a sizzling second-round 66, while Dunstable Downs’ Charlton signed for a fine 67.

But the last word went to Hooper after his monster putt sealed the deal. It was a fitting end to a gripping championship played out at a superb venue. Essendon was staging a PGA in England (East) Order of Merit tournament for the second successive year and the club’s owner Kieran Griffin felt the two days were a great success, capped by that thrilling finale.

He said: “The play-off was brilliant and it was a really exciting finish to what has been a really good event. We are delighted.

“We are trying to get the word out about Essendon and one of the best things for us to do is to bring professionals here from other clubs to see what we’ve got to offer. The coverage it has generated has really helped to put us on the map in terms of Hertfordshire golf.”