New Winter Series off to cracking start

Chris Gane (LeftHandedGolf@Silvermere) set a hot pace for the new PGA South Winter Series with Titleist & FootJoy, shooting a five-under-par 66 around Hankley Common to win the first event by three shots.

Picking up the first prize of £500, Gane outclassed his nearest rivals Rob Humphrey (Tyrrell’s Wood), Scott Stevens (Staplehurst) and Ben Flint (Broke Hill) who each shot 69.

With six birdies Flint came closest to challenging Gane, and although four dropped shots took the shine off things, his promising performance was rewarded with the Leading Assistant’s prize: a valuable ball, glove and shoe contract from Titleist & FootJoy.

Starting at the 10th, Gane charged through the 13th, 14th and 15th with birdies, and made one more at the 17th to be four-under at the turn. He made three more birdies at the first, third and fifth to reach seven-under. Even though he dropped two shots on the way home, Gane was still way in front.

In the second of the Titleist & FootJoy supported events over the East Course at Wentworth, level par rounds of 68 from Joseph Queen, Lea Cooper (Tilgate Forest) and Guy Woodman (Longball) left them sharing the honours with £330 each. A first year Assistant from West Sussex GC, Queen’s consistent performance also earned him the Leading Assistants and Trainees’ prize of the Titleist & FootJoy ball, glove and shoe contract.

In the runners up position, four players produced 69s: Keith Balson-Scales, Ben Hughes (Leatherhead), Nicholas Mitchell (Theale), and Scott Stevens (Staplehurst) who won here last year.  Cooper was two-under at the turn, and remained that way until the 14th, but two bogeys on the trot pulled him back to level. He then birdied the 17th and was in the lead on his own, but a bogey at the last hole cost him an outright win.

The next Winter Series reconvenes in 2016. Tournaments are: Prince’s - 25 and 26 January, The Berkshire (Blue) - 17 February, The London (International) - 1 March and the traditional final event at Farnham on 13 April for the Titleist & FootJoy BetterBall Pro-Am.