Whiffin and Portelli to the fore

Sean Whiffin produced a late scoring burst to force a share of the spoils with Glen Portelli in the Basildon Pro-Am.

The pair recorded five-under-par rounds of 67 to finish a shot ahead of Brett Taylor.

Whiffin (Hertfordshire G&CC) was just one-under after a bogey at the 14^th but turned his day around in dramatic style.

He birdied the 15^th and then made an eagle three at the next. Whiffin wasn’t finished as he also picked up another stroke at the 17^th before signing off with a par.

Portelli (Verulam) closed out his round in pleasing fashion, as well. On a day in which he dropped just one shot – at the tricky par-four 13^th – he made birdie at both 16 and 17 on his way to a fine score.

Taylor’s 68 included birdies at the closing two holes, edging him one ahead of James Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City) and Stuart Brown (Orton Meadows).

The team event was claimed by the quartet led by Thomas Obergan (Berkhamsted). Their tally of 125 was one clear of the next best.