Steady veteran George on top of the hill at Cleeve
14/01/2016
European Senior Tour player George Ryall posted his first solo win of the Gloucester and Somerset PGA winter season with a two-under-par return of 70 at Cleeve Hill.
Young England amateur international Josh Hilleard from Farrington Park was the only other player to post a sub-par round finishing one behind on a chilly day high above Cheltenham.
The low cloud which often plagues the Cleeve Cloud club did not affect a smaller than usual field, reduced by illness and injury, and conditions were more benign than at times in the past.
Ryall is renowned for his ability to grind out scores under all conditions and made 14 pars, a feat only matched by Pete Garratt (Naunton Downs), another of the more experienced players. The Players Club man secured birdies at the third, fifth and 14th and dropped his only shot at the fourth.
Hilleard warmed up for England’s forthcoming training spell in Spain with three birdies and dropped his only two shots on par threes.
Another promising youngster Dan Toogood (Weston-super-Mare) made four birdies to claim the birdie sweep and was third on 73. Ross Langdon (Gloucester) and Ashley Mansell (Clevedon) followed on 74.
Order of Merit leader Langdon racked up a triple bogey six on the 16th to slide down the leaderboard but he again extended his lead in the Order of Merit. His nearest challenger Louis Boston (Windmill Hill) slipped when he inadvertently played a ball from a position designated out of bounds on the 17th hole and was disqualified.
