Third time lucky for Griffiths in Q-Series

10/08/2023

Simon Griffiths took the spoils at Oulton Hall in Leeds in the third of four Q-Series events to give himself a huge push towards a place at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship later this month.

The Legends Tour's flagship event will take place at Trump International Golf Links in Scotland on August 23-27 and there are three spots available via the new Q-Series qualifying format.

In total there are four events – Dave Shacklady won the first at Bramall Park by four shots before Princes' Robert Coles cleaned up by seven at Mottram Hall. Both these were 1836 Tour events.

In the first of two PGA-staged events Griffiths won after a tight tussle with overnight leader Craig Corrigan. Griffiths drew level at the 15th after getting a lucky break and then took control over the next two holes, eventually winning by two shots after back-to-back 67s.

"Craig played really well and I got a bit lucky towards the end. I hit a terrible tee shot on 15 but it came out and I made a great par and Craig three-putted from just short and that made us level. At 16 I hit it to a foot and a half and I then holed a 40-footer at the next – I was literally trying to lag it and it dropped in.

"So I had a two-shot lead coming up the last which is a big difference to one and I hit a pretty poor shot in but managed to save par."

The aim of the Q-Series is to create a competitive second tier that feeds into the Legends Tour and to make it more accessible to more professionals on other feeder tours and it is an initiative that is very welcome for players like Griffiths.

Argentina's Gustavo Acosta shot the round of the day when he blitzed it round in an incredible 61 shots. Acosta, who clinched the final spot on Tour at the Q-School in Turkey, holed his second shot at the par-4 8th from 105 yards before making a hole-in-one, courtesy of a 5-iron, six holes later. In the end he would finish at one-under after opening up with a 79.

Tylney Park’s Max Newman also had a hole-in-one at the 2nd in a three-under 67.

The final series event will take place at Slaley Hall on August 15-16 when it will be determined which three players will book their place in Scotland.