Hooper shares pro-am spoils

Mark Hooper followed up his victory in the PGA East Region Championship with a shared success in the ERC Pro-Am at Essendon Country Club.

The Rayleigh Club professional shot a two-under-par 70 to finish alongside Christopher Cutchie (Colchester), Mark Stokes (Rayleigh Golf Range) and Thomas Philipps (Hadley Wood). Those four players were a stroke better than another quartet.

Hooper earned his place in the tie at the top, thanks to a birdie at the closing par-four. Cutchie and Philipps, who began their respective rounds at the 10^th hole, also closed out with a birdie to get to the fore.

Stokes, another to start at the 10^th, finished strongly as he picked up shots at his 16^th and 17^th holes.

Steve Cipa (South Essex Golf Centre) led the successful team to a convincing triumph on a total of 123 – five better than the joint runners-up, respectively marshalled by Stokes and Philipps.