Fraser Mann second in Scots 1-2 at Foxhills

Robert Arnott wins Senior PGA title despite double bogey at last hole

  Robert Arnott receives the Bernard Hunt trophy from the sponsors' commercial director Lisa McAuley
                                          Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

REPORT BY LEE McLAUGHLAN, PGA Press Officer

Bishopbriggs' Robert Arnott sailed to victory as he became the third successive Scot to win the Silversea Senior PGA Professional Championship at Foxhills, Surrey today.

The 52-year-old followed in the footsteps of Kenny Hutton (Downfield) and Fraser Mann (Carnoustie Links) as he captured the Bernard Hunt Trophy and cheque for £6,000, which he hailed as ‘the biggest win of his career’.

Starting the day with a two-shot advantage over South Winchester’s Richard Adams, Arnott’s lead was never troubled as the breezy conditions and testing nature of the Bernard Hunt course enabled him to protect his lead.

Having previously chalked up two sub-par rounds in a rain-affected championship, Arnott’s final round of three-over-par 76 was still sufficient for him to ‘fall over the line’ after a double bogey at the last saw him finish the week on one-under-par 217

His round was a mixed affair with four bogeys and three birdies also on his card. But it was sufficient to claim a two-shot victory over defending champion Mann, one of only two players to break par on the final

Arnott, who hadn’t made the cut on his previous two appearances at Foxhills, said: “This has to be the best thing I’ve won. This is a national event and I’ve never won a national event so this has got be up there as number one.

“It feels fantastic. I made it quite hard towards the end. I had a four shot lead coming down the last I thought I’d just plod my way up and was a wee bit careless as I missed from six inches. But I am delighted as I worked hard all day.

“Conditions certainly helped me. I had a couple of shots lead at the start of the day and only two guys are under par so no-one was going to go five or six under in these conditions.”

Defending champion Mann shot a well-crafted final round on two-under 71, which saw only one dropped shot – at the 10^th – with three birdies for good measure. It left him at one-over and picking up a cheque for £4,500.

He said: “I played very steady all week. I knew par would be there or thereabouts with the conditions being so difficult. I just had to keep my head down and just keep chipping and putting and just try and stay in contention.

“I had my best round today and just gave myself lots of birdies and chances and made one or two. I know how difficult the course is I would have loved to have shot five or six under but I just did the best I could.

“It gives me satisfaction and makes me go away and try harder next year as I was absolutely exhausted yesterday. My legs were absolutely shot. I need to go away and lose three stone and get back in the gym again.

“It is fantastic for Robert as he’s not been playing much for the past two years. He had his players’ category on the senior tour and hardly played any events and so this is fantastic. If anyone else was going to win it other than me then he’d be number one on the list.”

Mark Stokes of Rayleigh Golf Range completed the top three finishing at two-over for the week after a closing round of 75. It earned him £3,400.
Fraser Mann's brother Lindsay was the third best Scot with a total of 226 and a T16 finish for a payslip of £506.

	FINAL TOTALS  Par 218
1	Robert Arnott   Bishopbriggs Golf Range				70	71	76	217		£6,000.00
2	Fraser Mann  Carnoustie Golf Links				74	74	71	219		£4,500.00
3	Mark Stokes Rayleigh Golf Range				72	73	75	220		£3,400.00
T4	Brendan McGovern [BH]  Headfort Golf Club	+2	F	+4	73	74	75	222		£2,325.00
T4	Richard Adams [BH]  South Winchester Golf Club	+6	F	+4	71	72	79	222		£2,325.00
T6	Martin Forster [BH]  Tynedale Golf Club	-1	F	+5	79	72	72	223		£1,500.00
T6	Mark Nichols [BH]  Moscow City Golf Club	+1	F	+5	74	75	74	223		£1,500.00
T6	John Gould [BH]  John Gould International	+4	F	+5	69	77	77	223		£1,500.00
T9	Martin Pyatt [BH]  Kronberg Golf & Land Club e.V	+1	F	+6	73	77	74	224		£1,050.00
T9	Nick Job [BH]  Eligo Club	+2	F	+6	75	74	75	224		£1,050.00
T11	Steven Cipa [BH]  South Essex Golf Centre	+1	F	+7	79	72	74	225		£710.00
T11	John Hoskison [BH]  Newbury Golf Centre	+1	F	+7	72	79	74	225		£710.00
T11	Chris Baron [BH]  West Essex Golf Club	+2	F	+7	70	80	75	225		£710.00
T11	George Ryall [BH]  Burnham & Berrow Golf Club	+3	F	+7	76	73	76	225		£710.00
T11	John King [BH]  Lindrick Golf Club	+4	F	+7	78	70	77	225		£710.00
T16	Stephen Bennett [BH]  Waltham Windmill Golf Club	E	F	+8	77	76	73	226		£506.00
T16	Paul Mayo [BH]  Pontnewydd Golf Club	+2	F	+8	77	74	75	226		£506.00
T16	Jeff Pinsent [BH]  Sandy Lodge Golf Club	+2	F	+8	76	75	75	226		£506.00
T16	Lindsay Mann [BH]  Carnoustie Golf Links	+4	F	+8	71	78	77	226		£506.00
T16	Simon Wood [BH]  Ridge Golf Club	+5	F	+8	76	72	78	226		£506.00
T21	Gary Carter [BH]  Five Lakes Hotel Golf & Countr	+1	F	+9	77	76	74	227		£383.75
T21	Peter Allan [BH]  Ashton-in-Makerfield Golf Club	+2	F	+9	75	77	75	227		£383.75
T21	Darren Pearce [BH]  Barnard Castle Golf Club	+3	F	+9	80	71	76	227		£383.75
T21	Kenny Hutton ]  Downfield Golf Club	+3	F	+9	77	74	76	227		£383.75
T21	Mark Wiggett [BH]  Dudsbury Golf Club	+4	F	+9	76	74	77	227		£383.75
T21	Andrew George [BH]  Ely City Golf Club	+5	F	+9	72	77	78	227		£383.75
T21	Philip Hinton [BH]  Chesterton Valley Golf Club	+5	F	+9	73	76	78	227		£383.75
T21	Glyn Davies [BH]  Glyn Davies Golf	+7	F	+9	74	73	80	227		£383.75
T29	Stephen McAllister  Stephen McAllister Golf	+2	F	+10	75	78	75	228		£313.75
T29	Jonathan Drummond [BH]  Sandefjord Golf Club	+5	F	+10	76	74	78	228		£313.75
T29	Alastair Webster Edzell Golf Club	+6	F	+10	74	75	79	228		£313.75
T29	Murray White	+8	F	+10	71	76	81	228		£313.75
T33	Ian Roper [BH]  Corhampton Golf Club	+3	F	+11	80	73	76	229		£280.00
T33	Gary Bothwell [BH]  Haste Hill Golf Club	+3	F	+11	74	79	76	229		£280.00
T33	Robert Ellis [BH]  Newark Golf Club	+4	F	+11	76	76	77	229		£280.00
T33	Gary Stubbington [BH]  Hockley Golf Club	+4	F	+11	77	75	77	229		£280.00
T33	Garry Harvey Kinross Golf Courses	+5	F	+11	77	74	78	229		£280.00
T33	Alan Lovelace [BH]  Merrist Wood College	+5	F	+11	75	76	78	229		£280.00
T33	Shaun Ball [BH]  South Staffs Golf Club	+7	F	+11	74	75	80	229		£280.00
T33	Mark Squire [BH]  Ellesborough Golf Club	+7	F	+11	77	72	80	229		£280.00
T33	Alastair Archibald [BH]  Hadley Wood Golf Club	+7	F	+11	77	72	80	229		£280.00
42	Peter Scott [BH]  Peter Scott Golf School	+6	F	+12	75	76	79	230		£255.00
T43	Mark Booth [BH]  Delapre Golf Centre	+6	F	+13	77	75	79	231		£245.00
T43	Peter Cherry [BH]  Ashridge Golf Club	+6	F	+13	77	75	79	231		£245.00
T43	Barrie Stevens [BH]  Beau Desert Golf Club	+6	F	+13	82	70	79	231		£245.00
46	Ian Lyner [BH]  IRL Golf	+6	F	+14	76	77	79	232		£235.00
T47	Andrew Baguley [BH]  Leigh Golf Club	+7	F	+15	77	76	80	233		£225.00
T47	Anthony Cuppello [BH]  Pike Fold Golf Club	+11	F	+15	73	76	84	233		£225.00
T47	Graham Farr [BH]  Worcester Golf & Country Club	+12	F	+15	74	74	85	233		£225.00
T50	Simon Townend [BH]  Wilpshire Golf Club	+8	F	+16	77	76	81	234		£212.50
T50	Graeme Bell [BH]  Eaglescliffe Golf Club	+10	F	+16	76	75	83	234		£212.50
52	Iain Parker [	+10	F	+18	78	75	83	236		£205.00
53	Bruce Loome [BH]  Princes Risborough Golf Club	+15	F	+22	74	78	88	240		£200.00