Raitt takes Dartford prize

Andy Raitt (St. George’s Hill) added a fifth victory to his 2016 tally, shooting an impressive four-under-par 65 to win the Dartford Pro-Am and its magnificent £1,200 top prize.

Raitt (above) holed just enough putts to keep the 66 of hard-charging David Osborn (West Hill) in second place for the runner’s up cheque of £900. Sharing third spot on one-under-par was the trio of Ryan Fitzgerald (Burgess Hill Golf Academy), Chris Rodgers (Richings Park) and Charlie Wilson (Littlestone).

An eagle at the ninth helped him to get back to one-under-par for the front nine, and then the former Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit champion started notching up the birdies at the 10^th, 12^th and 15^th to get to four-under-par. A bogey at the par three 16^th threatened to undo the good work, but Raitt pulled out one more birdie at the final hole, and as the event unfolded it would prove enough to secure the top prize.

Starting half an hour behind Raitt, Osborn also opened with a bogey but two birdies at the third and the eighth put them on level pegging. A bogey at the 10^th was immediately repaired with a deuce at the next hole, and then an eagle at the 12^th took him to three-under-par.

A birdie on the 14^th put Osborn in a share of the lead on four-under-par, but a bogey at the 15^th was to prove expensive. Despite Osborn’s best efforts, the last three holes refused to yield a birdie and he finished with a 66.

Raitt was delighted both to pick up one of the season’s larger Pro-Am cheques, and with his form in general, as he explained, “It’s great to be back on the winner’s podium again, and I always look forward to playing Dartford. The club lays on a terrific day’s golf for everyone involved, and when the weather’s warm and dry enough, there’s always the last green gallery experience as well!”

He continued, “After all the rain we’ve had for this year’s events, it’s really nice to have some decent weather for a change, and there was just enough breeze to keep things interesting. The course as ever was in cracking condition, and as my back nine proved, the greens suited my putting very nicely!”