Shacklady wins maiden Staysure Tour title

David Shacklady could not hide his delight after claiming a maiden victory in his first year on the Staysure Tour.

The experienced PGA Member produced a final round score of 69 to win the VTB Russian Open Golf Championship (Senior) by two shots at the Moscow Country Club on Sunday.

Shacklady finished on eight under par, two shots clear of Welsh duo Stephen Dodd and Phillip Price. 

“It’s absolutely unbelievable,” he said. “It’s a bit of a blur at the moment. My aim was just to keep my card and now I’ve done that comfortably.

“I played great in the last event at the London Golf Club. I spent some time with my coach Simon Edwards and it felt great there and I’ve brought it here.

“I just stayed patient and I hit it great, to be fair. I managed to hold them all off with a load of pars, which was lovely.”

The 51-year-old had three top 20 finishes to his name prior to winning in Russia. He dedicated his win to John O’Connor, a friend and former colleague at Ormskirk Golf Club in the north of England who recently passed away.

“I’m having the time of my life,” he added. “I’ve watched these guys on TV all my life so playing with them is just a dream to start with. To contend with them and now to win is unbelievable.

“There’s a lot of winners in the field and you know they’re not going to give you a title, you’ve got to earn it. I was nervous but I managed to keep my head and pars were good, thankfully.”