Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Scots dominate finish of Srixon PGA Play-offs

Chris Doak with the PGA Play-offs Trophy after his great win at Hoylake (image by courtesy of the PGA).

Doak and McCreadie make it a
Tartan Tour 1-2 at Hoylake

Tartan Tour No 1 Chris Doak claimed the honour as the PGA's top-ranked player for 2008 after a comprehensive victory in the Srixon PGA Play-Offs over the Royal Liverpool Golf Club's Open championship links at Hoylake.
The 30-year-old, winner of the Scottish Order of Merit, secured a six-shot winning margin as he led home a Tartan Tour one-two with Buchanan Castle's Jason McCreadie claiming second spot.
The duo can now prepare to take on the might of the European Tour, having secured starts in the BMW PGA Championship plus the Scottish, English, Welsh and European Opens next year.
Doak staked his claim for glory with an opening day 66, in gale-force conditions, and eased his way to a second round 67 to finish at 11-under-par - comfortably ahead of the 21-man field, which comprised the three best players from each of the PGA's seven regions.
"It's fantastic to achieve this," said Doak. "You are always going for records in your region but to do it against the best in Great Britain and Ireland is fantastic. If you want to win, you want to win by a big margin. I just played my own game and again my caddie was just fantastic. He was like a 15th club.
"This tops a great year. We all play the region to get here and then to play a course like this and play as well as I have has been thoroughly enjoyable."
The unattached Greenock-born pro, who also won £2,000 and invites to a selection of Challenge Tour events, becomes the third winner of the annual event and the first from Scotland.
"It's huge kick start to the season for next year," he said."If I can combine these starts with a tour card it would be the best start I could have to my first year on the tour."
McCreadie, not for the first time this season, finished second behind his fellow Scot. However, it was a position he could hardly have imagined, having begun the day two over par in a share of eighth position.
However, the 38-year-old produced some stunning play, which included six birdies plus an eagle at the 16th to climb the leader board with a best-of-the-tournament score of 65.
McCreadie, who is coached by Bob Torrance, admitted that the day had begun as battle for second spot after Doak's impressive first round.
"It was just a case of going out there and seeing what you could do," he said."There was no pressure, it was just a case of trying to move up as far as I could get but realistically it was the Challenge Tour spots.
"You had to put Chris Doak out of the equation as he was away ahead so it was about second and third spots. I played woeful first day but a lot better today and just holed everything. I finished second behind Doak, but I've done a lot this year and it's not a bad place to be on this occasion, given what it means.
"I'm looking forward to playing against the best players. It changes my whole season too and I can't wait."
Yorkshire's Nick Ludwell (Selby) carded a second round 70 to finish third - ten shots behind the winner at one-under-par to secure an invite to next year's Scottish Open at Loch Lomond and number of Challenge Tour events.
Completing the top five were Eamonn Brady (Clontarf) and Lee Thompson (Dudsbury), who finished on level par after second consecutive rounds of level par 72.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
133 Chris Doak (Sco) (unatt) 66 67.
139 Jason McCreadie (Sco) (Buchanan Castle) 74 65.
143 Nick Ludwell (Eng) (Selby) 73 70.
144 Eamonn Brady (Ire) (Clontarf) 72 72, Lee Thompson (Eng) (Dudsbury) 72 72.
145 James Ablett (Eng) (Lee-on-the-Solent) 74 71.
146 Mark Hooper (Eng) (Rayleigh GR) 74 72.
147 Andrew Barnett (Wal) (North Wales GR) 74 73.
148 Simon Lilly (Eng) (Wellingborough) 77 71, Paul Wesselingh (Eng) (Kedleston Park) 74 74, Jason Levermore (Eng) (Clacton) 76 72, Michael McLean (Eng) (Limpsfield Chart) 77 71.
149 John Kelly (Ire) (St Margaret's) 73 76, George Ryall (Eng) (Players' Club) 70 79.
150 Philip Walton (Ire) (unatt) 75 75, Cameron Clark (Eng) (Moor Hall) 75 75, Brett Taylor (Eng) (Chelmsford) 73 77.
153 Edward Goodwin (Eng) (Cirencester) 81 72.
154 Steven Cowle (Eng) (Farnham) 75 79.
155 Alex Belt (Eng) (Bridlington Links) 78 77.
156 David Orr (Sco) (East Renfrewshire) 83 73.

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