Top trio tie at Sand Martins
14/06/2017
Playing in blustery but otherwise perfect conditions and on some of the fastest greens this season, Bearwood Lakes’ Martin Woodbridge, St. George’s Hill’s Andy Raitt and ProAgenda.com’s Guy Woodman each produced winning three-under-par 67s* to win the Sand Martin’s Pro-Am.
Taking home cheques for £758 each, the three stars showed three different ways to card a 67. Winner of The Oxfordshire Order of Merit event back in May, Woodbridge made Sand Martin’s his third victory of 2017, and the recent winner of the Knole Park Pro-Am, Woodman, succeeded in notching up his second win in a week.
Early starter Woodbridge’s golf was arguably the most varied with five bogeys, six birdies and one eagle, although he commented that: “You have to play strategically off the tee, but then you ned to follow up your drives with some good second shots which I did - some of the time!”
He continued: “While it was pretty windy, the greens were really good and running perfectly, so all credit to the Sand Martin’s greenkeeping team for producing some of the best surfaces we’ve played on in 2017.”
Raitt’s golf was arguably the most consistent with a level par front nine including one birdie, and then a birdie charge through the 10th, 11th and 14th to move into a tie with Woodbridge. A dropped shot on the 17th nearly undid things, but Raitt grabbed a birdie at the 18th for his 67 to move into a tie with Woodbridge.
As a past winner here, Woodman’s course management was fine but as he put it: “My golf was decidedly average, but made some great putts! I started par, bogey, eagle, and reached the turn in one-under, made pars all the way to the 17th where I holed a downhill 20 footer and grabbed the chance of a birdie on the downwind par five final hole.”
Adam Wootton (Oxford Golf Centre) and Vanslow Phillips (Stoke Park) came home with cards of 68 to share fourth spot and cheques for £450 each.
