Wardlow avoids getting stuck
30/10/2013
It was soft underfoot at Shandon Park yesterday for the Ping PGA Ulster Golfers’ Alliance event but Gary Wardlow (above) didn’t get stuck in the conditions as he posted a winning three-under-par 67 to be one stroke ahead of Damian Mooney.
Wardlow began with a mission with a drive and pitching wedge to one foot for birdie three but gave that shot back to the course at the seventh hole when he got into tree trouble on the right and had to settle for bogey five. That was the end of his troubles, however, as he again used his willing wedge to three feet from the ninth flag to set up another birdie three.
Two birdies and seven pars were carded on the back nine as Wardlow’s winning way continued with a four at the long 11th hole and his third birdie three at 16. A drive and six iron to the green and two putts from 20 feet gave him his birdie four and, for the third time, he reached the green at the 16th with a drive and pitching wedge. This time he was 25 feet from the flag but rolled in the putt for 32 back and his winning 67.
Shandon Park amateur Laurence Hale made full use of local knowledge as he won the amateur’s top nett prize with 43 points, edging out Alan McCook from Ballycastle on the back nine. However, the amateur performance of the day was given by Dungannon scratch player Joe Timlin who posted a five-under-par 65 to collect the gross prize.
The Massereene combination of professional Noel Murray and amateurs Liam Kelly (19), John Taggart (16) and Sean McComb (12) won the team event on a superb 93 points.
