Devon County PGA FeaturesReports of achievements by Devon Pros
Devon Open
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Devon Open
Tuesday 4th September 2007
Teignmouth Golf ClubLeading Scores
Player Club S Mason Teign Valley C Gill Exeter W Hemstock Teignmouth P Hendriksen Fingle Glen J Langmead Exminster A Norman Woolacombe& Ilfracombe R Goodey Teignmouth B Martin Teignmouth M Cayless Dainton Park M Burrow Exeter L Eastwood Tavistock A Hogan Teignmouth L Clarke Exeter B Austin Crediton A Place Staddon Hts
On a superb day for golf, the county`s top golfers, both Professionals and Amateurs gathered at Teignmouth Golf Club to contest the Devon Open .
The golf course was in superb condition and provided a stern test with just enough wind to make things interesting, the pins were tucked away which meant that only the best struck shots would yield birdies .Teignmouth which has over recent years toughened up the golf course, now with a Par of 69,is one of the best courses in the County.The addition of several well placed fairway bunkers and some new back tees have meant that club have kept up with the changes in the game.
The Open played over 36 holes is a prize all top golfers in the county want to win, and this year was contested at the top of the leader board by arguably the West country`s leading two pros.
Winning score on the day was the in form Sean Mason with 135 (68 67) Sean who is a Teignmouth member, and learnt his golf at the club, now represents Teign Valley as their touring Professional. His morning round of 68 only got going on the long par four 10th hole playing into the wind, he needed a three wood second, and hit probably his best shot of the day, to inside ten feet . This resulted in a birdie, and from there on he gained confidence and started holing the putts that mattered.
Five afternoon birdies meant that he stretched his lead, and his only crisis came at his last hole of the day the par five 9th , Sean must have thought he was opening the door for closest challenger Exeter`s Chris Gill , as he made a 7 on possibly the courses easiest birdie opportunity.
In fact he still won by three shots, but would have liked to have birdied, and finished in style his golf on the day deserved a score of 64. Sean who now has a chance to finish as the West Region Order of Merit winner in two weeks time at the final event in Wiltshire, is full of confidence. He puts his improved golf this season down to intensive work on the greens, after his coaching sessions, with Open Champion Padraig Harrington's putting guru Harold Swash.
Chris Gill in second place left himself just too much to do after an opening round 71, but was again pleased with his overall game.His tee to green game was as usual superb, and had he holed a few more putts he could have snatched the title.
Leading Amateur on the day was home player Billy Hemstock in third place, Billy who two weeks ago equaled the Teignmouth course record with a superb 63 was very consistent with rounds of 70 and 69.
Tied in fourth place were Exminster`s Jon Langmead and Fingle Glen`s Paul Hendriksen, Jon finished poorly with four bogies in his last 5 holes, the normally consistent Jon threw in a few loose shots in the closing stretch, again lifting the pressure from Mason. Paul who is looking forward to the European Tour Qualifying School next month, is playing well and along with other leading Devon players, hopes to take his game to the next level.
The golf being played now in the county at Professional level, is very much on an upward curve, and with three players (Chris Gill Sean Mason and Barry Austin) now with a chance to claim the West Region crown these are good days for Devon Pro golf.
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