GOODWOOD GEARS UP FOR ENGLISH PGA

CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS' ASSOCIATION

Its racecourse has produced plenty of exciting finishes but Golf At Goodwood is gearing up for another at the Business Fort English PGA Championship.

A tightly congested leaderboard is topped by rookie Ben St John, pictured by courtesy of Getty Images, who will take a one shot advantage over Surrey’s rival Gary Marks into the final round.

PGA Cup player James Whatley (East Midlands Golf Academy) is at two under par where he was joined by Roger Tuddenham (Hedge End) out in the last group of the day who carded a 69.

In total 16 players are within five strokes of the leader including Chris Sands (SkyCaddie), also in the last group, who equalled the course record with a four-under-par 67. But overnight leader Jamie Harris (Nevill GC) slipped back after a 76.

Daniel Seymour (Newbury Golf Centre) missed the cut but had the consolation of a hole-in-one on the 204-yard par three 17th.

Leader St John, playing in his first national PGA tournament, hopes past experience on the Asian Tour will stand him in good stead as he bids to win the £30,000 event which is also supported by Cobra and 59Club.

The Woodcote Park pro carded a second successive 69 to set the target but it might have been even better for the Surrey golfer who at one point was six under after 11 holes before an errant bounce derailed his charge.

“I got off to a lovely start, birdied the first, had a couple more birdies and was four under through 11 but I had a little blip on 12 and 13,” he said.

“It was a bit disappointing because I hit a lovely shot into 12 but it took a big bounce and went over the back and I hit a duff chip. On 13, I just hit a bad tee shot.”

Despite it being his first national final, St John has plenty of experience including two years on the Asian Tour which he says helped hone his game.

“It was fantastic, it made me broke quickly but it was a massive learning curve for my game,” he said.

With a £5,000 first prize at stake and the winner gaining exemption to the European Tour’s English Open next year, there’s plenty to occupy his mind but St John is determined to take a relaxed approach.

“I’ll just aim for more of the same, keep playing sensibly as possible and take chances when they come,” he said.

Fellow Surrey pro Marks will be out in the last pairing, hoping to clinch his first win of the season.

The former PGA Play Off champion dropped a shot on the third but accelerated into gear with birdies at four, eight, 11 and 13 before the wheels began to fall off with bogeys at 14 and 17.

“The main story was getting to five under and then limping home,” he said.

“I lost my way a little bit over the five holes on the big shots.

“I have to get that sorted because this is quite a big course with a bit of wind so if you’re not ball-striking you won’t get round.”

Derby pro Whatley, narrowly beaten in a play-off for the Welsh Open PGA Professional Championship last month, is content to be just off the pace as he goes into the final round.

“I’m quite happy being a couple of shots behind. I was six shots behind and got into the play off for the Welsh Open so I know what can happen,” he said.

The cut came at seven over par which meant host PGA pro Christian Fogden, who attracted the biggest crowds of the day, will be in action on the final day.

LEADERBOARD

Par 142 (2x71)

138 Ben St John (Woodcote Park) 69 69.

139 Gary Marks (World of Golf) 69 70.

140 James Whatley (East Midlands Golf Academy) 69 71, Roger Tuddenham (Hedge End) 71 69.

141 Paul Bradshaw (Spaldington) 68 73, Nick Ludwell (Selby) 72 69, Lee Thompson (Dudsbury) 69 72

Chris Sands (SkyCaddie) 74 67

142 James Cookson Whittington Heath 72 70, Robert Giles Greenore 73 69, Graham Cox Davenport 69 73, Alex Belt Bridlington Links 71 71


Image of Ben St John attached courtesy of Jan Kruger/Getty Images.