BIRDIE BLITZ CROWNS MATT CORT PGA ASSISTANTS CHAMPION

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE PGA

It was most definitely 'the glorious 12th' for former European Tour regular Matthew Cort as he blasted his way to the Powerade PGA Assistants' Championship in association with FootJoy at East Sussex National.
in a dazzling display of accuracy, the 36-year-old first year Rothley Park assistant pulled the trigger to brilliant effect bagging eight birdies to claim the title with a stunning final round eight-under-par 64.
The Leicestershire ace's flawless round took him to five-under-par 211 for the tournament and a six-shot winning margin having started the day five shots adrift of overnight leader Paul Newman (East Berkshire). Newman finished tied third at two-over after a final round 76, which he shared with Morpeth's Steve Fawcitt, who closed with a level par 72.
Runner-up, for the second successive year, was Sidmouth's Kevin Harper, who carded a one-under 71 to finish one-over for the week.
Cort, who had top 10 finishes at the Scandinavian Masters and the Diageo Championship during a three-year spell on the European Tour, hailed his victory at East Sussex as one of the best of his career.
His win secured him a £5,000 winner's cheque and an all-expenses paid trip to compete in the end-of-season Titleist PGA Play-Offs at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey, where European and Challenge Tour starts are on offer to the leading finishers.
Seemingly out of contention ahead of the final round, Cort took full advantage of the conditions, which were much calmer and brighter after two days of strong winds, as his sharp-shooting brought him gains at the third, sixth, seventh, eighth, 12th, 14th,15th and 16th.
Following his title-winning round, he said: "It was as good as it could be I guess. With the conditions I felt you could get a low score and I'd been playing well all week without really holing the putts but I played really good today and holed some putts, got on a roll and made no mistakes.
"There were no dropped shots and I hit most greens. I hit 16 greens yesterday for two-over and putted very average but I played as good, if not even better today, and just holed the putts.
"To be three-over and five off the lead after two rounds I thought what have I got to lose so just went for it. I had 66 in mind but 64 is something else."
Overnight leader Newman had looked to have one hand on the title after sinking an early birdie to widen the gap over the field, but Cort's awesome performance forced the first year assistant to change his game plan and, as he admitted, it came with severe consequences.
"I saw a few scores on the leaderboard and could see what Cort was doing and thought I'd chase him down, which was a mistake really," said the 23-year-old, who had five bogeys in his final six holes.
"I got to one-under through eight and on the back nine I got myself back to one-under for the round but attacked the pin at the par three 13th and it went long.
"I then went in the bunker on the next and long again after that. The plan I was using went and I got a bit aggressive at the end.
"I shouldn't have done that as I had the par five coming up. Shame I couldn't finish the job but I loved it.
"This is the best event I've played in by a mile. I've played with some really good guys this week and got to know some lads from the other regions and I want to be doing this more often."
Devon-based Harper, who admitted he woke with a spasm in his shoulder throwing doubts as to whether he would be able to start the final round, produced another under-par round to finish second once more, but admitted there was nothing he could have done to have prevented Cort from taking the title.
The former PGA Europro Order of Merit winner, who pocketed £3,000, said: "A few people said I was favourite for the week, so it was good to contend and be in there with a chance but it was a fantastic performance by Matt Cort. Wherever you shoot 64 is fantastic, but especially round here.
"I'm pleased to have shot under-par for the final round and it's a good finish again after coming second last year, especially as I woke up this morning and was having spasms in my right shoulder and that side of my neck.
"The first few shots on the range I went fat, fat, thin, fat and I didn't even know if I could play. It was a bit of struggle but I just had to go out there and play through it and accept that and just do as well as I
could.
"So I'm pleased with the week as it was a good performance and I love playing here."
Harper has vowed to return for a third and final year and finally make the top spot.
However, one man not returning is Fawcitt, who brought the curtain down on his days as an assistant in style.
Having struggled on his tournament bow in 2009, the north easterner strung together three useful rounds to earn £1,950 after finishing tied third.
He said: "I'm pleased with how the tournament has gone for me this week. I holed a chip at the last for a birdie to get me into the top three and you can't ask for a better finish than that.
"You look at the score from the guy who won and that's just incredible scoring. I knew I was hoping to be a couple under at the turn to put pressure on the leaders, but it didn't pan out like that.
"But I kept it together and played the last three, which are tough finishing holes, in one-under to make the top three and I can't ask for more that on my final appearance."
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
1 211 (-5) Matthew Cort Rothley Park
2 217 (+1) Kevin Harper Sidmouth
3= 218 (+2) Steven Fawcitt Morpeth
Paul Newman East Berkshire
5 219 (+3) Glyn Bateman Eastbourne
6= 220 (+4) Lorcan Costello Lucan
Graeme Dunlea Adare Manor
Gareth Wright West Linton
Michael Ramsden Bondhay
10= 221 (+5) Scott Jackson Disley
Jack Stevenson St Mellion

Full results from the Championship at East Sussex National can be found at:
http://pgagbi.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgagbi11/event/pgagbi11223/contest/1/leaderboard.htm