Titleist & FootJoy Winter Series race hots up
05/03/2015
With just two tournaments to go, the race for the 2014-2015 PGA (South) Winter Series supported by Titleist & FootJoy is hotting up nicely.
Current leader Scott Stevens (Staplehurst) is being closely pursued by Craig Ainsley (Wexham Park), with Max Brackley (Manston) and Robert Gowers (South Winchester) right on their heels. Winning the next event at Swinley Forest on April 2nd could power any of the top ten into pole position.
Tom Fleming (Newbury & Crookham) trotted around the Red Course at The Berkshire in four-under-par to head a field of 77 players on a crisp spring day to win by two shots.
Taking home a cool £500, his 68 outclassed the trio of Ainsley, James McGilvray (Birchwood Park) and Adam Clough who each carded a two-under-par 70 for their cheques of £323. Clough added to his booty by taking home the much prized Titleist & FootJoy ball, glove and shoe contract as the leading assistant.
After birdying the third, Fleming’s round nearly unravelled a few holes later with a bogey followed by a double bogey on the seventh and eighth. But he bounced back immediately with a birdie on the ninth, then five more at the 10th, 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th to complete his remarkable comeback round of 68.
The International course at the London GC saw the next instalment of the series, with current South region number one Benn Barham (PGolfCoaching@Pedham) shooting a magnificent four-under-par 68 to win a handsome cheque of £555.
Mastering near to gale force winds and very slippery putting surfaces, he made two birdies on the front nine and three more on the back nine before dropping one shot to par at the short 17th on his way home for his 68.
Barham edged out four time champion Richard Wallis (North Foreland) into second place with a two-under-par 70, with South Winchester’s Gowers finishing third. Richard Neil-Jones carded a 74 which was enough to earn him the leading assistants’ ball, glove and shoe contract from Titleist and FootJoy.
