No stopping Shacklady at Ellesmere

The fifth event in the burgeoning PGA North Players’ Series reached another milestone when a field of 56 professionals pitched up at Manchester club Ellesmere.

It confirmed the increasing popularity of the fixtures which are spread across the whole region and attract players from all age groups.

Not surprisingly, the irrepressible David Shacklady was top of the shots, racking up six birdies in a five-under-par 65 to finish a stroke in front of Allerton Manor’s Josh Hall.

Timothy Dykes made the trip down the M6 from Penrith worth his while as he posted a 67 matched by “local lad” Mark Hancock, from Stand.

Regional manager Jonathan Paine, who introduced the series earlier in the year, enthused: “We wanted to give our professionals the opportunity of playing against each other and the chance to rekindle meeting up with old friends.

“The turn-out at Ellesmere was exactly what we wanted to happen. The players also helped to motivate it. I believe it’s an informal way of playing tournament golf.

“If you look at the prize-funds you will know that the professionals are playing for everything they are putting in. It’s all there for them.”

   Paine revealed: “It was an idea I’d had for a while because I felt we were becoming disenfranchised with the counties keeping themselves to themselves.

 “The more who play in our events will bring them out of their comfort zone and that could mean there would be more chance of finding sponsors.”

For a full list of results from the PGA North Members Tour event at Ellesmere click here.