Victory for Hughes at Kirkistown Castle
22/08/2013
A birdie at the last hole clinched success for David Hughes in the penultimate round of the Ping PGA Summer Masters’ Series.
The Massereene man posted a one-under-par 68 at Kirkistown Castle, and he started brightly by clipping a shot off the long first hole, with a drive and eight iron to the green.
He was well on his way when he birdied the par four third where he drove the green. A scrambled par at the ninth hole where, after a shank, he saved regulation with a chip and putt from 60 yards, left the winner out in two-under-33.
Things turned a little sour for Hughes as he was quickly hauled back to parity with back-to-back bogey fives at the 12th and 13th holes as he overshot both greens, 12 with a sand iron and 13 with a seven iron.
Then four pars followed before his closing birdied four which he carved out with a drive and three wood on to the front edge and got down in two stabs for a four.
The nett winning amateur was ShandonPark’s four-handicapper Johnny Taylor, who carded 40 points, while the gross winner was one-handicapper Stuart Bleakley, son of professional Geoff, also from ShandonPark. Stuart handed in a 72 which was a stroke better than his dad.
David Hughes made it a personal double as he also piloted the winning team. Hughes and his Massereene amateurs, Vincent McCaffrey (13), Shane McComb (12) and John Taggart (15), carded 94 points.
The final outing in the Summer series will be held at Downpatrick on Monday, September 2.
