Steve’s late birdie blitz

Steve Cipa (South Essex Golf Centre) birdied his final three holes to steal the Wanstead Pro-Am by a shot.

Four players were already in the clubhouse at two-under-par when Cipa – in the second-to-last team out on the course – launched his superb scoring spree.

Not much had happened for the European Senior Tour golfer in his first 15 holes – trading a birdie for a bogey at the seventh and eighth holes before a string of pars.

But he lit the touch paper for his stirring finish when carding a two at the short 16th. And he followed up by making further gains at the closing holes to claim victory with a three-under-par total of 66.

It was a deserved success for Cipa who had finished in the top-four in three of his previous five pro-am appearances. Cipa’s team also won with a score of 118.

The quartet of players who had to settle for a share of second place in the individual strokeplay were Steven Hambling (Braintree), Stuart Brown (Thorpe Wood), Jason Levermore (Channels) and Ian Ellis (Great Yarmouth & Caister).