ELLIOT SALTMAN LAST ROUND NIGHTMARE SMASHES £10,000 DREAM

Elliot Saltman's dream of a £10,000 payday in the first EuroPro Tour event of the season, the Motocaddy Masters at Wensum Valley Golf Hotel and Country

Club, Norfolk turned into a nightmare today (Thu).

The Archerfield Links player finished with a nine-over-par round of 82 for a total of 228 and a share of 24th place alongside his youngest brother, Zack. They both earned £330.

Elliot had three double bogeys - at the long sixth, par-4 10th and long 16th.

Birdies at the 11th and 18th could not repair the damage.

Zack Saltman finished with a repeat of his second-round 77.

The only other Scot to beat the cut, Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) slipped back from a second-round 69 to an 80, which was a repeat of his first round. Paul's total of 229 earned him £285.

Dan Waite (Wisley) (74-72-72 for one-under 218) won the £10,000 jackpot prize by one shot from Paul Grannell (Vale Royal) (77-74-68) and StiggyHodgson (Wisley) (74-70-75).

MOTOCADDY MASTERS

Wensum Valley Golf Hotel, Norfolk

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 219 (3x73)

218 Dan Waite (Wisley) 74 72 72 (£10,000)

219 Paul Grannel (Vale Royal) 77 74 68, Stiggy Hodgson (Wisley) 74 70 75 (£3,750 each).

221 James Robinson (Southport & Aindsale) 76 72 73, Nick McCarthy (Moortown) 74 73 74 (£1,550 each).

SCOTS' TOTALS

228 Zack Saltman (Archerfield Links) 74 77 77, Elliot Saltman (Archerfield Links) 72 74 82 (£330 each).

229 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 80 69 80 (£285).

WAITE WINS MOTOCADDY MASTERS

Wisley golfer records first professional win on 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour

 

Dan Waite won the Motocaddy Masters by one stroke to Paul Grannell and Stiggy Hodgson after he finished one under par in the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour season opener at Wensum Valley Hotel, Golf and Country Club in Norfolk today.

 

Waite, based at Wisley Golf Club in Surrey, holed a birdie putt on the 18th to record a one-under-par final-round 72 and beat overnight leader Hodgson (Wisley Golf Club) and Grannell (Vale Royal Abbey), who shot the week’s best score of 68. Waite won £10,000 and a brand new Motocaddy trolley and also secured an invite to the Scottish Hydro Challenge event on the Challenge Tour.

 

The 24-year-old opened his final round with a bogey but made birdies at three and four. He dropped down the leaderboard after a bogey at seven and a double on the eighth but birdies at 14, 15 and 18 saw him conclude the tournament one under par.

 

“It feels great to get my first professional win under my belt,” said Waite. “I want to take it from here and try and get a couple more.

 

“This morning I thought I had a shout. I saw Billy Fowles had finished strongly yesterday and had given himself a bit of a lead but I felt if I stayed patient and tried to get some birdies I would have a chance.

 

“I thought I would need a birdie on the 18th and I knew I just needed a good drive and that would give me a good chance of making the green in two. I hit a good second shot and then holed the birdie putt.”

 

Grannell had a nervous wait in the clubhouse after he signed for a five under two hours before the final groups completed their rounds. The 27-year-old began the day nine strokes off leader Fowles but a birdie at the third and four on the last six holes saw him complete the week level par.

 

Hodgson was second overnight but shot four bogeys on his final round. An eagle three at the 14th was his only par breaker on the final day.

 

Overnight leader Fowles struggled in his closing round and finished tied sixth, three over for the tournament, after recording a third-round 80, three-over-par.

 

James Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale) and Nick McCarthy (Moortown Golf Club) finished tied fourth on two over par.

 

Highlights of the Motocaddy Masters will air on Sky Sports HD on Wednesday, May 15.