South stars share California honours

** L-R Briggs Matsko, Stephen Parkhouse, Rob McGuirk, & Malcolm Wager.

It was once the playground of the Hollywood rat pack but Andy Raitt and Rob McGuirk found Palm Springs as much to their liking as Frank Sinatra and his showbiz cronies.

The southern pair, from St George’s Hill and Prince’s respectively, held off the challenge of former Ryder Cup ace Peter Baker to share victory in the California Classic Pro-Am.

It was Raitt’s third victory of the season on the Pro-Am Tour with this latest event staged over four of the desert’s most prestigious courses: PGA West TPC Stadium Course, SilverRock, The Classic Club and the Celebrity Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort.

Raitt took the early lead at PGA West with a 68 while round two at SilverRock saw five pros shoot 69 - Raitt, McGuirk, Baker, Jamie Harris (Nevill) and Darren Prosser (Kingswinford)

Baker (South Staffs) then carded a third round 67 to catch Raitt to set up an exciting final round between the two former European Tour players.

However, it would be McGuirk who proved the main challenger with a superb final round 67 at Indian Wells to tie Raitt at 10-under-par for a 278 total.

In addition to the Pro-Am a Welcome Challenge Day was held at the Players Course at Indian Wells and was won by Wellingborough’s Simon Lilly, with David Mills second. 

In the team event McGuirk’s final round heroics would charge his team of Stephen Parkhouse, Malcolm Wager and Briggs Matsko to victory. Andy Raitt’s team finished second, and David Mill’s team were third.

Further information is available at www.pro-amtour.com or contact John Hooper at Tel. 023 8046 5885