Local hero’s the new PGA in Sussex champion

After shooting a spectacular five-under-par afternoon round of 67 for a total of 135, Royal Ashdown Forest’s very own Jonny Ingram has won the PGA in Sussex Championship, supported by regional brewer Shepherd Neame.

Winning by a margin of five strokes, the new county champion said: “Local knowledge round here is an asset of course, but I was five behind after the first round on the West. Up to this event I’ve often scored well but finished badly, so this time I went for the lot. I think I’ve finally learned how to win.”

He added: “The course was in spectacular condition, but the greens were drying out in the afternoon with the temperatures hitting 30c, so 36 holes felt more like a marathon. I putted well with just 27 putts in the afternoon, and played the par fives and threes well. They make your score on the Old course, and that’s how I made my 67 against the par of 72.”

Five behind Jason Partridge’s 63 on the West at lunchtime, Ingram knew what he had to do and over the course of the next 18 holes of the course used for Open Championship qualifying, his only bogey was on the second.

Two birdies and an eagle at three of the four par fives, and pars and a deuce at the short holes made for a very tidy card, while Ingram’s colleagues struggled to score in the scorching temperatures.

Finishing five in front of the runners up on 140, namely Jonathan Elliott (Burgess Hill Golf Academy), Tim Spence (The Golf College), and Paul Nessling (Cooden Beach), Ingram walked away with a cool £600 and a new determination.

As the new Sussex star put it: “I’ve learned how to win here, and with the Order of Merit match play and the remaining Virgin Atlantic PGA South stroke play events, now I’ve just got to learn how to do that elsewhere!”