MICHAEL WATSON LEADS GLENMUIR PGA PRO CHAMPIONSHIP
FROM THE PGA TOURNAMENT NEWS WEBSITE
Michael Watson threw down the gauntlet as he thrust himself firmly into title contention at the midway stage of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship in association with Peugeot.
The Wessex Golf Centre professional and winner of the 2009 PGA Play-Offs, moved to five-under-par for the tournament after carding a second round six-under 66 as the 'cellophane came off the holes' on the PGA National course at the Belfry.Watson, who began the day one-over-par after an opening 73, rattled in an eagle at the par five sixth along with six birdies - including a trio from the eighth - to get his championship bid up-and-running.
It wasn't all plain sailing with dropped shots at the third and seventh, but he was more than content to have played his way to the top of the leaderboard.
He took over pole position from Ireland-based Rob Giles (Greenore), who lies a shot further back in joint second after having to settle for a level par 72.
Joining him is 2001 winner Simon Edwards (Windermere), who dropped just one shot as he carded a four-under-par 68 to move menacingly into contention as the 'veterans' took charge.
Also well-placed to challenge in a tightly-packed leaderboard as just three shots separate the top 12, is last year's runner-up David Shacklady (Mossock Hall).
But the day definitely belonged to Watson, who in a repeat of his Play-Offs success, just indulged in a birdie blitz as he made his accuracy finally pay.
"I played very well yesterday but didn't hole absolutely anything but I finally got some putts in," said Watson, who came into the tournament in fine form after a string of recent wins in the PGA West Region.
"There were a couple of snaky long ones, including one on the par five sixth for an eagle. I got a good birdie on 14 and played solidly coming back.
"It's the kind of course you've got to hit it well off the tee, which suits me. I had a practice round on Monday and I felt then there was a good score out there in me. I knew if I played the way I played yesterday and the cellophane came off the holes it would let me in and it did."
The 72-hole championship, the flagship event on the PGA tournament schedule, carries a prize fund of £78,000 with £10,000 going to the winner.
Edwards, winner of the Welsh PGA National Championship last September, has his target set on adding more silverware to his cabinet.
"I got the ball in the hole and that's what it's all about. I've been going backwards and forwards between putters and this week just rolling it good," he said.
"It's a tough course but if you drive it straight you're going to be in reasonably good shape. The likes of me, Michael Watson, David Shacklady and a few others have been around long enough to use our experience and know it's not all about distance.
"Now it's about keeping it going. I've got a good reason to win this week but I'm not revealing why, it's just something I want to do this week. It's 10 years since I won this and it's been too long."
Overnight leader Giles missed out on the chance to build on his impressive start as his putter went cold.
He said: "It was nothing spectacular. I moved to two-under after birdies at five and six but then nothing happened.
"I hit 17 greens in regulation and two and three putts took me back to level par for the round. Tee to green I hit it great but I just couldn't get the ball in the hole.
"I wanted to consolidate my start but after being two-under after six things were looking pretty good but I was struggling to see lines on the green. A three putt at 16 topped it off as I had been under-par for the majority of the round."
The GB and I PGA Cup team to take on the United States in the Ryder Cup-style match in California in September, has also come into focus for a number of the challengers, including 2007 team member Craig Goodfellow (Carlisle Driving Range), who fired a 71 to ease into a share of fourth place at three-under-par, and Barry Taylor (Houghwood), who was in the 2009 team. He is among a clutch players at two-under-par.
Defending champion David Mortimer (Galway), almost a certainty for a PGA Cup spot, carded a one-over-par 73 to ease to one-under alongside another former champion - Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park), who added a 71 to his opening 72 to give himself every opportunity of securing a seventh successive PGA Cup appearance.
The top 50 players and ties made the cut, which came at three-over-par.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE PGA TOURNAMENT WEBSITE
CLICK HERE
Michael Watson threw down the gauntlet as he thrust himself firmly into title contention at the midway stage of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship in association with Peugeot.
The Wessex Golf Centre professional and winner of the 2009 PGA Play-Offs, moved to five-under-par for the tournament after carding a second round six-under 66 as the 'cellophane came off the holes' on the PGA National course at the Belfry.Watson, who began the day one-over-par after an opening 73, rattled in an eagle at the par five sixth along with six birdies - including a trio from the eighth - to get his championship bid up-and-running.
It wasn't all plain sailing with dropped shots at the third and seventh, but he was more than content to have played his way to the top of the leaderboard.
He took over pole position from Ireland-based Rob Giles (Greenore), who lies a shot further back in joint second after having to settle for a level par 72.
Joining him is 2001 winner Simon Edwards (Windermere), who dropped just one shot as he carded a four-under-par 68 to move menacingly into contention as the 'veterans' took charge.
Also well-placed to challenge in a tightly-packed leaderboard as just three shots separate the top 12, is last year's runner-up David Shacklady (Mossock Hall).
But the day definitely belonged to Watson, who in a repeat of his Play-Offs success, just indulged in a birdie blitz as he made his accuracy finally pay.
"I played very well yesterday but didn't hole absolutely anything but I finally got some putts in," said Watson, who came into the tournament in fine form after a string of recent wins in the PGA West Region.
"There were a couple of snaky long ones, including one on the par five sixth for an eagle. I got a good birdie on 14 and played solidly coming back.
"It's the kind of course you've got to hit it well off the tee, which suits me. I had a practice round on Monday and I felt then there was a good score out there in me. I knew if I played the way I played yesterday and the cellophane came off the holes it would let me in and it did."
The 72-hole championship, the flagship event on the PGA tournament schedule, carries a prize fund of £78,000 with £10,000 going to the winner.
Edwards, winner of the Welsh PGA National Championship last September, has his target set on adding more silverware to his cabinet.
"I got the ball in the hole and that's what it's all about. I've been going backwards and forwards between putters and this week just rolling it good," he said.
"It's a tough course but if you drive it straight you're going to be in reasonably good shape. The likes of me, Michael Watson, David Shacklady and a few others have been around long enough to use our experience and know it's not all about distance.
"Now it's about keeping it going. I've got a good reason to win this week but I'm not revealing why, it's just something I want to do this week. It's 10 years since I won this and it's been too long."
Overnight leader Giles missed out on the chance to build on his impressive start as his putter went cold.
He said: "It was nothing spectacular. I moved to two-under after birdies at five and six but then nothing happened.
"I hit 17 greens in regulation and two and three putts took me back to level par for the round. Tee to green I hit it great but I just couldn't get the ball in the hole.
"I wanted to consolidate my start but after being two-under after six things were looking pretty good but I was struggling to see lines on the green. A three putt at 16 topped it off as I had been under-par for the majority of the round."
The GB and I PGA Cup team to take on the United States in the Ryder Cup-style match in California in September, has also come into focus for a number of the challengers, including 2007 team member Craig Goodfellow (Carlisle Driving Range), who fired a 71 to ease into a share of fourth place at three-under-par, and Barry Taylor (Houghwood), who was in the 2009 team. He is among a clutch players at two-under-par.
Defending champion David Mortimer (Galway), almost a certainty for a PGA Cup spot, carded a one-over-par 73 to ease to one-under alongside another former champion - Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park), who added a 71 to his opening 72 to give himself every opportunity of securing a seventh successive PGA Cup appearance.
The top 50 players and ties made the cut, which came at three-over-par.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE PGA TOURNAMENT WEBSITE
CLICK HERE
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Thursday, June 16, 2011
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