Late bogeys cost Paul Wardell the lead
Bogeys
at the 14th and 17th knocked North Berwick's Paul Wardell out of the
lead he held with five holes to play late on the first day of the PGA
professionals championship at gale-swept Burnham and Berrow Golf Club, Somerset, writes Colin Farquharson
Wardell, battled with and against a gale-force wind that reached 50mph strength at times to finish with an excellent-par-matching round of 72, one behind long-time clubhouse leader Akexander Wrigley (Hartlepool).
Other
Tartan Tour campaigners in the mix are Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) and
Welshman Gareth Wright (West Linton). They are among 10 players sharing
third place on 73.
Scroll down to reach the PGA summary of the day's play
FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 72
71 A Wrigley (Hartlepool)
72 P Wardell (North Berwick)
SELECTED SCORES
73 G Fox (Clydeway Golf), G Wright (West Linton) (T3)
75 J Savage (Dalmuir), P Walker (Ballumbie Castle), C Everett (Caldwell) (T21)
76 C Ronald (Carluke) (T30)
79 I Taylor (Drumpellier), G Brown (Montrose Links), F Mann (Carnoustie GC) (T72)
80 B Collier (Netherlands) (T89
84 M Huish (North Berwick) (T128)
87 A Stuart (Paul Lawrie GC) (T138).
PGA NEWS RELEASE
Hard work in the gym over winter paid off for North-east of England golfer Alex
Wrigley as he defied gusting winds of up to 40mph to seize the lead in
the Titleist and FootJoy PGA Professional Championship at Burnham and Berrow.
The famed Somerset links, which celebrates its
125th anniversary this year, bared its teeth on the opening day of the
£78,000 tournament as the 144 strong field was battered from start to
finish with no player managing to break par.
But Hartlepool Golf
Club attached pro Wrigley withstood everything the links could throw at
him to sign for a level par 71 with two birdies on the fourth and 15th
cancelling out just two dropped shots.
Wrigley leads by one
stroke from North Berwick’s Paul Wardell with a clutch of players
including 2012 champion Gareth Wright (West Linton) and 2013 winner Dan
Greenwood (Forest Pines) gathered at his heels two shots back while the
2009 victor James Lee (Caerphilly Golf Club) enjoyed a special moment
with a hole-in-one on the par 3 fifth hole.
Wrigley though took
the plaudits on a day of difficult scoring which Morlais Castle’s Sion
Bebb, another past champion, described as ‘brutal’.
“I’ve been
brought up on links courses, it doesn’t make it any easier but you know
what to do when the winds blowing, today was all about keeping it in
play and keeping it level par,” said Wrigley.
“You’ve got to stay
patient. On one of the bogeys I took an unplayable lie in the rough,
and through keeping my patience and not losing my cool, I was able to
hole a 10 footer for bogey which proved to be a really good bogey in the
end because I went on to get a good birdie on 15th – which was probably
a key shot to get me back to level par with three holes to play.
“It’s
great to be leading but there are still three rounds to go. If I can
produce the golf that I produced today then hopefully I should be there
or thereabouts on Friday.
“I’ve played in this once before – it’s definitely the best event that The PGA run all year.”
Wrigley
juggles coaching and shop work while competing on the Europro Tour but
his long term target is to reach the top table of European golf while a
good finish this week will earn him a place in the Great Britain and
Ireland PGA Cup team to face the United States in California in
September.
“I’m very passionate about playing. My life revolves
around golf, when I’m at home and not at tournaments I’m working hard in
the gym, practising hard and trying to fit lessons and shop hours in as
well.
“It’s long hours, and through the winter, but it’s paying off.”
The 72-hole tournament concludes on Friday with the winner also gaining the keys to a Peugeot 308GT for 12 months.
Labels: PGA