ALEX SMITH WINS £1,000 TOP PRIZE ON CELTIC PRO TOUR
Alex Smith lifted the West Wales Open title at the Gower Golf Club on Tuesday with a sparkling closing round of 66 to finish 6-under-par for the tournament.
This was the second event of the Dragon Tour, Wales’ first professional golf tour, and now part of the Celtic Pro Tour.
Smith (Pyle & Kenfig), winner of the Tour’s inaugural Order of Merit last year, won the Gower event and the £1,000 first prize by five shots - after a third place finish in the South Wales Open last week.
One of his nearest rivals was playing partner Alun Evans (Newport Links), with whom Smith now shares the professional course record following Evans’ feat at the same event last season.
Evans shot a closing round of one under par, 70, to tie for the runners up spot with new professional Chris Cousins (Aberdare) who wins prize money at only his second professional event. Cousins closed with the second best round of the week, a three under par 68.
Overnight leader, Adam Lee (St Mellons), who was leading by a shot at two under par after round one, faded to a three over par round of 74 on day two, to leave him in joint fourth place with Challenge Tour professional, James Williams (Pontypridd).
Spencer Vickery (The Kendleshire) and Mark Govier (Morriston) were also in the money at 6th and 7th place respectively.
Smith’s win, catapults him back to the top of the Order of Merit, after two events, and looks in great form as the tournament moves on to event three at Seafield Golf and Country Club in Ireland for the Wexford Open, next Monday and Tuesday.
The tournament also covered new ground, with Lauren Diggle, from Celtic Manor, becoming the first lady professional to enter a Celtic Pro Tour event.
Celtic Pro Tour, event organiser, Roger Maliphant said: “It’s fantastic that ladies like Lauren can play in events like this on her doorstep, and we hope to see a lot more ladies playing in these events as the season progresses.”
Indeed, with cameramen filming highlights of the event for both Setanta Golf and BBC TV, the Tour is an excellent opportunity for all golfers to showcase their skills, and play under the type of pressure that cameras often create at professional events.
Golfers can still join the Tour, with annual membership costing £175 for professionals, and event entry priced at £99. Amateur golfers with a scratch handicap or better can also enter events at a cost of £55, and don’t need to pay membership. Prize money at each event will be at least £1,000 to the winner, with the top 25% in the field winning money also. A voucher will be available to the leading amateur.
Golfers wishing to enter the next event, the Wexford Open at Seafield Golf and Country Club next Monday 18th & Tuesday 19th June, are asked to contact Rhydian Thomas on 07861 686568 or register online at the website at www.celticpro.com by 5pm Saturday 16th June
LEADING TOTALS
136 Alex Smith (Pyle & Kenfig) 70 66 (£1,000).
141 Chris Cousins (Aberdare) 73 68, Alun Evans (Newport Links) 71 70 (£375 each).
143 Adam Lee (St Mellons) 69 74, James Williams (Pontypridd0 72 71 (£125 each).
144 Spencer Vickery (TheKendleshire) 73 71 (£80).
145 Mark Govier (Morriston) 71 74 (£70).
Alex Smith lifted the West Wales Open title at the Gower Golf Club on Tuesday with a sparkling closing round of 66 to finish 6-under-par for the tournament.
This was the second event of the Dragon Tour, Wales’ first professional golf tour, and now part of the Celtic Pro Tour.
Smith (Pyle & Kenfig), winner of the Tour’s inaugural Order of Merit last year, won the Gower event and the £1,000 first prize by five shots - after a third place finish in the South Wales Open last week.
One of his nearest rivals was playing partner Alun Evans (Newport Links), with whom Smith now shares the professional course record following Evans’ feat at the same event last season.
Evans shot a closing round of one under par, 70, to tie for the runners up spot with new professional Chris Cousins (Aberdare) who wins prize money at only his second professional event. Cousins closed with the second best round of the week, a three under par 68.
Overnight leader, Adam Lee (St Mellons), who was leading by a shot at two under par after round one, faded to a three over par round of 74 on day two, to leave him in joint fourth place with Challenge Tour professional, James Williams (Pontypridd).
Spencer Vickery (The Kendleshire) and Mark Govier (Morriston) were also in the money at 6th and 7th place respectively.
Smith’s win, catapults him back to the top of the Order of Merit, after two events, and looks in great form as the tournament moves on to event three at Seafield Golf and Country Club in Ireland for the Wexford Open, next Monday and Tuesday.
The tournament also covered new ground, with Lauren Diggle, from Celtic Manor, becoming the first lady professional to enter a Celtic Pro Tour event.
Celtic Pro Tour, event organiser, Roger Maliphant said: “It’s fantastic that ladies like Lauren can play in events like this on her doorstep, and we hope to see a lot more ladies playing in these events as the season progresses.”
Indeed, with cameramen filming highlights of the event for both Setanta Golf and BBC TV, the Tour is an excellent opportunity for all golfers to showcase their skills, and play under the type of pressure that cameras often create at professional events.
Golfers can still join the Tour, with annual membership costing £175 for professionals, and event entry priced at £99. Amateur golfers with a scratch handicap or better can also enter events at a cost of £55, and don’t need to pay membership. Prize money at each event will be at least £1,000 to the winner, with the top 25% in the field winning money also. A voucher will be available to the leading amateur.
Golfers wishing to enter the next event, the Wexford Open at Seafield Golf and Country Club next Monday 18th & Tuesday 19th June, are asked to contact Rhydian Thomas on 07861 686568 or register online at the website at www.celticpro.com by 5pm Saturday 16th June
LEADING TOTALS
136 Alex Smith (Pyle & Kenfig) 70 66 (£1,000).
141 Chris Cousins (Aberdare) 73 68, Alun Evans (Newport Links) 71 70 (£375 each).
143 Adam Lee (St Mellons) 69 74, James Williams (Pontypridd0 72 71 (£125 each).
144 Spencer Vickery (TheKendleshire) 73 71 (£80).
145 Mark Govier (Morriston) 71 74 (£70).
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Wednesday, June 13, 2007
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