West is best at The Berkshire

William West (Castiglion del Bosco) shot a classy three-under-par 68 to win his first ever professional event in the 2015-2016 PGA South Winter Series, supported by Titleist & FootJoy.

The fifth tournament in the 2015-2016 series saw largely ideal conditions for winter golf as a large field fought it out around The Berkshire’s Blue course, but it was West who made the most of the opportunities.

He shot five birdies and one double bogey to win by two shots and take the £500 first prize, leaving Mark Palmer (Palmer Golf Company), Martin Woodbridge (Bearwood Lakes) and Kevin O’Connell (Purley Downs) to share the spoils of £321 each with their cards of 70 for second place. To add to his joy, West also claimed the Leading Assistant’s prize for the ball, glove and shoe contract from Titleist & FootJoy.

Starting at the seventh, West’s first birdie came at the par five 11^th, and then two more followed at the 15^th and 18^th to put him on three-under-par with six holes left. Things didn’t go to plan on the long par three first, where he came out with a double bogey on his otherwise immaculate card, but to his credit, West then bounced straight back with two birdies on the trot at the second and third. Pars home left him in pole position.

Of the other cards, Woodbridge’s came the closest with four birdies, but he too found the first hole more than a handful, notching up an ugly triple bogey six. As it was his starting hole, Woodbridge battled well over the remaining 17 holes to get back into the frame.

With two more rounds to play, the next being at The London GC’s International course on March 1^st, followed by the Assistants’ & Trainees’ BetterBall Pro-Am at Farnham on April 13^th, it means that there is all to play for in the race for the top spot in the Titleist & FootJoy PGA South Winter Series Order of Merit.