Ryall dominates at Shirehampton Park

European Senior Tour winner George Ryall (Players Club) recorded a one-stroke success in the Gloucester and Somerset PGA Winter series medal over the tight and tricky Shirehampton Park layout.

He was the only one of the 24 players to beat the demanding par of 67 with his round of 66. The previous week’s winners Ross Langdon (Brickhampton Court) and Giuseppe Licata (Chipping Sodbury) shared second on level par.

A bright but still chilly spring morning greeted the players on the course situated high above the River Avon with spectacular views over the City of Bristol and beyond. The competition was still fierce though with various Order of Merit battles going on as the season reaches its climax.

Ryall, although not feeling 100 per cent, accelerated over the closing holes after a slow start. He was two-over-par until a run of four birdies in five holes from the 13th took him past the winning post for his first solo victory of the season.

Such is the difficultly of the course a three-over-par 70 was good enough for a share of fourth position achieved by Graeme Biggs (Burnham Golf Range), Nick Ellis (Naunton Downs) and Daryl Kelley (Filton).

It was the best result of the season for Biggs while Ellis justified his late decision to play by collecting a tidy haul of OOM points. G&S PGA co-secretary Kelley produced his best result since his recent return from injury which has curtailed his winter golf this year.