Devon Features

West Region Order of Merit 2007

Sean Mason not only won the final major tournament of the West Region PGA season at Hamptworth he also claimed the order of merit title in style.

The 26-year-old from Teign Valley beat Cornwall's leading player Richard Sadler at the second hole of a play-off in the Hamptworth Bex Design and AEP PGA Championship at the only Wiltshire course in the New Forest.

Now he can savour the prospect of making his European Tour debut as the West's representative in the BMW International at Wentworth in May.

Barry Austin (Downes Crediton) and ex-Tour man Andrew Sherborne (The Kendleshire) finished second and third.

The top three ranked players in each of the seven PGA regions take part in the play offs at Hollinwell on October 16-17 for a chance to earn exemptions to other Tour and Challenge Tour events next year.

Sean Mason
West Region Champion 2007

Sadler led on nine-under-par 135 before Mason's four-foot putt for a birdie on the last sparked the play-off. The pair halved the 145-yard par-three tenth hole the first time. But Mason holed from five feet for the winning birdie second time around.

He said: "I set out to win the order of merit at the start of the year and concentrated on regional events rather than the PGA Europro Tour and it's paid off. "I have played nicely this year and hope this win will set me up for another shot at winning a place on the Tour."

Mason goes to Moliets in France next week in the first stage of qualifying for the 2008 Tour.