Elliot Saltman picks up £3,066 runner-up prize

Final Scots' scores in the Collingtree Park Masters, the opening event on the PGA EuroPro Tour were:

216 (level par) Elliot Saltman 74 74 68 (£3,066.66) 2nd equal.
222 Jack Doherty 72 72 78 (£290).
224 John Gallagher 72 76 76 (£260)
226 Chris Kelly 71 78 77 (£225).

FULL REPORT by ANTHONY LEAVER
Hanson's collapse hands Surry Collingtree Park victory

Steve Surry has won the Michael Ward UK Open at Collingtree Park after Chris Hanson let a five shot lead slip in the 2009 PGA EuroPro opener.
Surry (Cumberwell Park) heaped real pressure on Hanson from the start and was four under par after the 11th after starting the final round on level par. Surry’s first blemish came on the 12th before back-to-back bogeys at 16 and 17 looked to have undone his earlier good work and he finished level for the day, one under for the tournament (215) following steady opening rounds of 70 and 73.
Ultimately though, his early work was enough to wrestle the advantage from Hanson and secure the opening event of 2009.
“I’m chuffed to bits,” said Surry, who scoops £10,000 for the win. “I knew that if I played well today I would at least put pressure on and that paid off.”
“I was annoyed that I dropped a couple of shots at the end but I had a great front nine and that's what has won me the tournament,” said the 27 year-old, who topped the first stage of qualifying school at his home club.
“I was only going to be playing six tournaments but my schedule has changed and I will play most of them now, so this win is a fantastic start.”
“No-one likes to see a player go through that but Chris is a quality player and I know he’ll come back stronger.”
Hanson’s difficulties started immediately with a bogey on the first and although he cancelled that out with a birdie at the third, a bogey at five and a double at eight saw him in real trouble. A third bogey came at the 11th but the Huddersfield man strung together six pars to stay three under until he bogeyed 17 leaving him one shot ahead down the last.
Disaster struck straight away when he drove out of bounds. His provisional found the fairway but his approach to the green landed in the water. A drop and a chip later and he was at the back of the green where his chip ran past the hole for a tricky return putt which was missed, finally tapping home for a 9 to follow rounds of 70 and 67 with a final round 81, leaving him joint eighth at two over.
“I’m obviously disappointed but I was 100 per cent committed today and it just wasn’t there for me,” said Hanson. “I can still take a lot from the tournament – from leading and being in contention to my first two rounds where I played really well.”
“I felt fine on the last but my tee shot just caught the wind. I thought my pitch had made it over as it looked good and I can’t believe it didn’t make it. It was the toughest day of the three with the wind but it was the same for all the players.”
The round of the day belonged to Paul Dwyer (Clitheroe), who was in the third group out at five over but finished the tournament on level par with six birdies in his 67. A bogey at the last denied Elliot Saltman (Aegon) a 67 of his own and ultimately a play-off for first place, with his four under round seeing him join Dwyer at level par. The local charge was led by Wellingborough’s Simon Lilly but he was left to rue a double bogey on the fifth hole and had to settle for a one under round 71 to finish level.
It was the first event for the new official bookmakers of the Tour – Sky Bet – who were delighted with Surry’s win after facing a big pay-out on Lilly should he had prevailed. One punter placed £100 each-way on Surry at 40-1 before the tournament though and collected £5,000.
“Despite both Surry and Lilly being well backed and us losing on the event, the turnover and the general interest that Sky Bet have achieved over this sponsorship has been phenomenal, and we are looking forward to Faithlegg already,” said Sky Bet’s John Rhodes, who will release prices for next week’s Green 17 Faithlegg Championship in Waterford, Ireland at the weekend.
For the full Collingtree Park results, visit http://www.europrotour.com/ and click on the Score Updates link.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216
1 Steve Surry 70, 73, 72 – 215: £10,000
=2 Paul Dwyer 77, 72, 67 – 216: £3,066.66
=2 Elliot Saltman 74, 74, 68 – 216: £3,066.66
=2 Simon Lilly 70, 75, 71 – 216: £3,066.66
=5 Mark Ramsdale 71, 72, 74 – 217: £1,200
=5 Paul Streeter 71, 71, 75 – 217: £1,200
=5 George Woolgar 72, 70, 75 – 217: £1,200
=8 Daniel Gaunt 73, 75, 70 – 218: £875
=8 Chris Hanson 70, 67, 81 – 218: £875