Hooper triumphs at PGA East Anglian Open
17/09/2014
Mark Hooper gave his hopes of reaching the Titleist PGA Play-Offs a major boost with victory in the PGA East Anglian Open at Basildon Golf Club.
The top three players from the PGA in England (East) Order of Merit will make it through to the prestigious end-of-season finale, which takes place at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey from November 29 to December 1.
Before the latest tournament, Hooper (The Rayleigh Club) had slipped to 10th spot, despite being successful in the PGA East Region Championship at Essendon Country Club in June.
But he put himself right back in the play-offs picture at Basildon, thanks to rounds of 66 and 70 that left him on eight-under-par, two shots clear of the runner-up Andrew George.
Hooper’s triumph saw him climb to second in the official standings, ahead of the final Order of Merit event, which will be played next week at his home club.
“I knew what I had to do to get back in the play-offs again – and it was lovely to go out there and do it,” said Hooper, who finished top of the Order of Merit in 2013.
“I think, when you’ve got a clear goal of what you need to do, it makes you score a little bit easier. I only came here to play positive golf.
“Sometimes, when you are already in the top-three, it’s sometimes easy to guard. But because I knew I had to win or finish second, it made it clear in my mind what I needed to do.
“I am over the moon to have won. I’m really pleased with how I felt so relaxed when I was leading.
“It feels like as I’ve got older, when I am under pressure I seem to be doing a lot better. I don’t seem to struggle too much. Sometimes the things you do mentally are more satisfying than what you do technically.”
Hooper’s opening six-under-par effort ensured that he started the second round with a two-shot lead. He extended that advantage to four, thanks to birdies at the second and third holes.
George (Ely City) began the day three back, but launched a concerted challenge with a superb front-nine scoring spree. He rattled off three straight birdies from the third, before driving the green at the par-four seventh hole and then converting from 12 feet for the eagle.
The Cambridgeshire professional sank a curling 15-footer for another birdie at the next and suddenly he was breathing down Hooper’s neck.
As the pressure increased on the back nine, George was understandably unable to sustain that sort of form – and a double bogey at the 16th effectively ended his chances.
Meanwhile, Hooper kept his nerve with some composed golf to hold at bay playing partner Jason Levermore.
A key chip-and-putt for par at the dangerous 13th, followed by a birdie at the 16th restored a healthy cushion at the top for Hooper. He could even afford to bogey the penultimate hole before signing off with a two-putt par at the last to clinch victory.
Runner-up George said: “I struck it nicely and made some good putts. This is an exciting golf course! It’s just one of those places you can’t get down because the next hole you can make eagle.
“The last month I’ve been playing well and I could feel a nice score coming and that’s my six consecutive round under par.”
Levermore was close to finishing in a tie for second, but a double bogey at the last saw him drop back to third. But he had the consolation of going top on the Order of Merit, opening up a healthy advantage over his rivals.
A tied-sixth finish at Basildon lifted Stuart Brown (Orton Meadows) into third, while former leader Ian Ellis (Great Yarmouth and Caister) has fallen to fourth.
The Order of Merit race will come to a thrilling conclusion at The Rayleigh Club Championship, which will take place on September 24-25.
