Kelly wins Northern Open
15/06/2015
Gleneagles Scottish PGA Professional champion Chris Kelly won another major on the Tartan Tour with a brilliant last round of five-under-par 65 paving the way for triumph in the Northern Open.
After three rounds at Cruden Bay it looked a straight fight between Kelly and Wright for the prestigious title and the £4,250 first prize, but Kelly’s birdie blitz on the front nine blew away any challenge from the London-born Welshman who finished runner-up in last week's Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship.
Kelly's outward half had a "believe it or not" touch about it as he birdied the first, bogeyed the second and then birdied the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth.
It was a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show for the second nine. Kelly did birdie the 12th - his eighth of the round - but after a string of pars he subsided to a double bogey six at the 18th for 35 home and a 65.
Wright did his best to keep up with his playing partner, birdying the first, sixth and eighth but a bogey at nine put him out in 34 - and he had slipped four shots behind Kelly. Wright too knew he was beaten and he bogeyed the 14th and 15th.
He finished five behind with a par 70 for eight-under 272 - a total that would have won many Northern Opens through the years. Wright earned £3,000 and deserved it.
Third placed Craig Ronald (Carluke) finished with a 71 for 277, five shots behind Wright.
Moray amateur Kyle Godsman won the Bookless Cup as the leading amateur in joint eighth place overall, a splendid performance by the Hopeman man who spent four years on the US college golf circuit.
Godsman totalled 281 and finished four strokes ahead of the amateur runner-up, home course man John Godward who signed off with a 70 for 285.
The last man to complete the Scottish PGA Professional Championship-Northern Open title double was Carnoustie's Fraser Mann in 2002.
