Portelli and Cains inextricably linked at Ingrebourne

Glen Portelli and Nicholas Cains were declared joint winners of the Ingrebourne Links Order of Merit after tournament conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic prevented a play-off to determine an outright winner. The stalemate, however, was anything but a bore draw.

Both players had begun the second and final round sharing the lead with Mark Talbott but, while their rival from Thorpe Hall Golf Club dropped out of contention, they could not be separated.

Two-under-par at the start of play after opening rounds of 68, they finished on level-par to each earn £2,600 and set the early pace in the PGA East region’s Order of Merit.

That looked an unlikely prospect at the turn, however. At that stage Talbott remained on two-under, a shot clear of Cains and three ahead of Portelli who, after recording single bogeys at the fourth and eighth holes plus a double at the ninth, looked at risk of imploding.

A birdie at the par-four 10^th steadied matters and, aside from a bogey at 14 which was immediately erased at 15, there were no further wobbles.

Not so Talbott. Bogeys at 11 and 17 and a double at the 634-yard par five 15^th did for his chances.

Meanwhile, Cains (pictured above, left) undid the promise engendered by a birdie at the third with bogeys at the fifth and seventh before sabotaging his dreams of outright victory with another at the par-three 17^th.

All of which left him and Portelli (pictured above, right) sharing first place and mixed feelings.

“It felt a bit strange not having a play-off and just walking away,” said Portelli, who is attached to Old Fold Manor Golf Club. “But I knew before we played there wouldn’t be one.”

Cains, the head PGA Professional at Swaffham Golf Club, added: “We were told beforehand there wouldn’t be a play-off. It was a little bit annoying but you never know which way they will go.”

By contrast, Cains had no doubts about the quality of the youthful course which, designed by PGA Master Professional Alan Walker, was staging its first major tournament following the addition of five holes to the existing 13.

“It’s a course I’ve always enjoyed playing over the last couple of years,” he said. “I can use my driver a lot, which is one of the strengths of my game.

“Considering how new it is I think it’s going to be a fantastic resort. They’ve done really well to build what they have done so far.”

Such an endorsement will be music to the ears of Ingrebourne Links chairman, John Pryor.

“This is the first tournament since the main course has been opened and we’re very pleased with the way things have gone,” said Pryor (pictured above in the background with his wife, Judy).

“We’re very pleased. We’ve had a good turnout and I think they’ve found the course has been a good test. Nobody has burnt it up as the winning score of level par shows.

“We’ve also had favourable reports from everybody and are delighted the PGA has put the tournament on. Hopefully there will be many more.”

Full scores can be accessed here

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