PAUL SHIELDS FINISHES JOINT FIFTH AT THE BELFRY

HARROLD WINS £10,000 JACKPOT

AFTER SENIOR DOUBLE BOGEY AT 18

NEWS RELEASE

Norfolk's William Harrold won the opening event of the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour season, shooting a final-round 71 to finish on four-under-par 212  and win the Matchroom Championship by one stroke on the Brabazon Course at The Belfry.

The Norfolk golfer began the day four behind 36-hole leader Jack Senior (Heysham Golf Club), but the former Walker Cup man shot 76 in his final round to fall from -7 overnight to -3 at the close of play, earning him second place on 213.

Harrold (Sheringham Golf Club), who played on the US college golf circuit for four years during his student days, collects a winner’s cheque of £10,000 plus a brand new Motocaddy S1 Pro trolley. It is his first win on the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour, having missed out in a play-off at The Oxfordshire last season.

“It feels great,” said Harrold. “I was ready for another play-off but I am happy to not have had to have that again. My dad was on the bag this week. He’s a good caddy and we have a good record together. He was on the bag at The Oxfordshire last year too.

“I will take it one step at a time this season; the next one will be just as tough as this one. I play my golf one step at a time but we all know what can happen at the end of the season.

“I plan to play all the EuroPro events this year, and hopefully one or two on the Challenge Tour too.”

Harrold completed his front nine in 36 shots after cancelling out his sixth-hole bogey with a birdie at the ninth. Coming in he bogeyed the 11^th but birdied 13 and then the 17^th to move to four under.
Second-place Senior double-bogeyed the first, cutting his overnight lead to one stroke. Bogeys at three, six and 13 saw him away from contention but a late flurry of three consecutive birdies at 15, 16 and 17 saw him draw level with leader Harrold, who was playing in the group ahead.

However, the Lancastrian found a bunker on 18 and double bogeyed the hole to miss out on a play-off. Gary King (Tyrrells Wood) and Paul Broadhurst shared third on two under.

Highlights of the event will be broadcast eight times on Sky Sports, premiering at 8pm on Tuesday, April 29. 

The next HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour event is the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters at Montrose, beginning on April 29.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216
212 William Harrold (Eng) 69 72 71 (£10,000)
213 Jack Senior (Eng) 70 67 76 (£5,000)
214 Gary King (Eng) 71 71 71, Paul Broadhurst (Eng) 69 71 74 (£2,100) (£2,100 each)
215 Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 70 75 70, Niall Kearney (Ire) 69 75 72, Jack Colegate (Eng) 73 70 72, James Robinson (Eng0 69 73 73 (£1,125 each)
OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS
217 Ross Kellett (Aberdeen Asset Management0 70 72 75 (T11) (£725)
219 Kris Nicol (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 68 77 74 (T13) (£575)
222 Chris Currie (Caldwell) 70 73 79 (T25) (£330)
223 Elliot Saltman (Archerfield Links) 76 72 75, David Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 75 73 75 (T30) (£285 each)
224 Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre) 74 73 77 (T37) (£245)
226 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 75 72 79 (47th) (£215)