OK for Bullen in CK

Michael Bullen won the CK Group PGA Southern Professional Championship, shooting three impressive rounds of 66, 65 and 65 at Kings Hill to win by one stroke with a total of 20-under-par.

A PGA Assistant at the Rustington Golf Centre, the delighted Bullen said: “I’ve enjoyed some good results this year, but these three rounds mark a new peak. Winning my first Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit event is the best possible confidence boost for the rest of the season.”

Bullen’s last round of 65 set the bar too high for the other contenders. Adam Clough (PGolfCoaching@Pedham) followed his opening rounds of 67, 67 with a fireworks final round of nine-under-par 63, but even that still left him one behind Bullen sharing the runners up spot with early leader Chris Gane (Left Handed Golf at Silvermere) on 19-under-par.

Bullen collected a handsome £3,000 for his performance, thanks to the ongoing support of Ian Pether and his CK Group. Opening his final round with four birdies on the trot to reach the turn on four-under, he added two more birdies and a bogey through the 10th to the 13th. Birdies at the 15th and the 18th put him in pole, but with several contenders still to finish.

That last birdie proved crucial as Clough was burning up the course. Opening with an eagle and four birdies to be out in 29 strokes, he then added three more in quick succession to reach -10 after just 12 holes. A bogey at the 13th was his only undoing, but it took the wind from Clough’s sails and one more birdie to tie Bullen’s total proved elusive.

With second and third places in the other events, Bullen’s win puts him in second place behind Chris Gane in the Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit with just two more events to go, the Keith MacDonald PGA South Match Play and then the Crisp Thinking PGA Farnham Finale on the 4th-5th October.