PGA EUROPRO TOUR REPORT

Lorne Kelly finishes joint fifth behind

first-time winner Paul Maddy

By ANTHONY LEAVER
Paul Maddy sealed his first win as a professional in the Motocaddy Masters at The Players Club in Bristol by two strokes at ten under – but only after fighting off fiercePGA pressure from Matthew Ford and Paul Dwyer.
Maddy (Gog Magog) began the day at eight under par having not dropped a shot in the opening two rounds, but slipped back to six under after three bogeys and a birdie in his opening four holes. Birdies at the fifth and tenth holes moved Maddy back to his starting position at the top of his back nine but he was under incredible pressure in the closing holes from two of the chasing pack.
Dwyer (Clitheroe) was two under ahead of the final round and moved to six under by the turn with four birdies – but it was a birdie at 15 followed by a hole-in-one at the 16th that propelled him into contention at eight under. Ford (Marriott Tudor Park) was way off the pace at one under ahead of the final round and edged to two under at the turn.
But a phenomenal back nine with six birdies saw him card a 63 and into a share of the lead with Dwyer and Maddy at eight under.
The overnight leader was not to be denied though. A birdie at 15 moved him into the lead at nine under and he made it a two-shot victory with another birdie at 17 – all the more sweeter as his parents had driven over three hours to come and caddie for him in his first professional victory and the £10,000 prize money.
“I was a bit nervous and a couple of bad swings got me off to a bad start,” said the 28 year-old. “I knew beforehand that a score around par would be good enough.”
What Maddy didn’t reckon on was the incredible rounds from Messrs Ford and Dwyer – although he was aware of their charge. “I was obviously concentrating on my own round but yes, I had an eye on the scoreboards,” said the Cambridge man. “I knew that those guys had fired down the back nine, but I had an advantage with holes left and I was able to get a couple of birdies to finish the job.”
“I’ve been playing well but without the results so now I’ve got that win under my belt I can kick on for the rest of the Tour,” said Maddy, who leaps into fourth spot in the Order of Merit.
Ford and Dwyer shared second spot, while fourth place belonged to Maddy’s playing partner Paul O’Hanlon (Curragh) who recorded his third round of 68 of the tournament to finish on six under.
Barrie Trainor (South County) equalled Dwyer’s round of 64 to finish three under for the tournament along with Lorne Kelly (Pro Dream USA) and Tim Rice (Limerick) who both recorded 67s in their final rounds, and Ben Jones (Crownbrush.co.uk) and Adam Frayne (St Mellion), both level for the day.
The next event on the PGA EuroPro Tour is the Pandora 2009 Open at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey, beginning on July 30.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70)
200 Paul Maddy 64 68 68. £10,000
202 Matthew Ford 69 70 63, Paul Dwyer 70 68 64. £3,750 each.
204 Paul O’Hanlon 68 68 68 204. £1,700
207 Barrie Trainor 73 70 64, Lorne Kelly 74 66 67, Tim Rice 71 69 67, Adam Frayne 70 67 70, Ben Jones 70 67 70. £1,070 each.
208 Graeme Clark 71 68 69. £800
Other Scots' totals:
210 Lee Harper 76 66 68. £400.
212 Scott Jamieson 76 68 68. £335.
214 Paul Doherty 70 71 73, Jack Doherty 73 72 68, Barry Hume 71 74 68. £277.50 each.
216 Graeme Lornie 71 72 73 £245.00