Nessling finds winning form fast

Paul Nessling (Cooden Beach) shot a flawless five-under-par 67 to win the Kingswood Charity Pro-Am and earn his largest cheque of the season.

His boss, Cooden Beach Golf Club PGA Professional Jeff Sim was delighted, and said: “I knew Paul could do it, it was just a matter of clearing the stuff out of his head so that he could get back to swinging naturally and effortlessly.

“I’m really pleased for him, this’ll be a terrific boost to his confidence with the PGA Surrey Open, also at Kingswood, and the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship coming up soon.”

Taking the £1,000 winner’s cheque, Nessling edged out James Ablett’s (Lee-on-the-Solent) 68 who, but for the one bogey at the par-three 17^th, would have tied for the title with Nessling. BB&O stalwart Paul Simpson (West Berkshire) shot 71 to take third spot on his own.

Starting at the 6^th, Nessling had never played the course before but rolled out a series of solid pars until the par-five 11^th where he reached the green with his second shot to make a two-putt birdie.

He navigated his way through the next four tricky holes despite being unable to get up and down in two for a birdie at the 14^th and failing to make a six footer for a birdie on the 15^th, he then charged his way through the difficult finish, birdieing the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th.

Another birdie on the first got Nessling to five-under-par, and he proceeded to par his way to the finish despite only birdieing one of the four par fives. As he commented, “I’d played terrible golf the day before and Jeff took me in hand, giving me some great advice and tips that worked the minute I started hitting the shots in front of him on the practice ground.

“I went to Kingswood confident that I had the game and the swing for what is now a tough and demanding course at a shade under 7,000 yards. I hit every green in regulation and holed some good putts on the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th, although I nearly holed the second shot on the 18^th with a wedge.

“It’s great to win here, and I’m really looking forward to the PGA Surrey Open, the next Virgin Atlantic Little Red PGA South OOM event, which will be played here at the end of the month, and to the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship at Blairgowrie. So it’s thank you to Kingswood and a big thank you to Jeff!”