Scade retains East trainees’ title

James Scade, third year assistant at Little Channels Golf Club, is the PGA in England (East) Trainees’ champion for the second successive year.

The 23-year-old had rounds of five-under-par 66 and level par 71 to retain his title at Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club in an event sponsored by Weston Homes plc.

Runner-up Aaron Howard of Saffron Walden was the only other player in a field of 62 to be under par for the day. His rounds of 70 and 71 left him four shots behind Scade.

In his three years of training, Scade has been a dominant force in this event. He was runner-up to Ben Kerr, then of Saffron Walden, in 2011 and was winner in 2012. Scade also holds the course record of nine-under-par 62 at Bishop’s Stortford in PGA East Captain’s Day in 2011.

Scade said: “It was quite tricky with plenty of bounce. In my second round I didn’t take too much on because I knew that if I didn’t make mistakes I would be hard to catch.”

Last year Scade won the PGA Anglian Open at Rayleigh. He is not planning to defend this title because of a clash with his PGA Europro Tour schedule.

He said: “I have been playing well but not scoring well. My coach David March at Little Channels has been telling me to relax and enjoy my golf again. I have been working hard but it’s just not been happening for me in the Europro. I hope that this win will set me up for a successful end to the year.”

Joint third place at Bishop’s Stortford went to James Taverner of Brocket Hall and Chase Davis of Stapleford Abbotts. Both signed for two-over-par. James Jankowski of Essendon Country Club was fifth at three-over-par.

Glen Portelli of Verulam and Nick Pateman of Pinner Hill, who have both won Order of Merit events in the East this year,  had to settle for a share of sixth place at five-over-par.

The presentation was made by John Smith, secretary of PGA in England (East), in place of sponsor Bob Weston, a great supporter of the Region, who was abroad.