Barham and Gane celebrate Seve Ballesteros Foundation Pro-Am with 63s
One of the highlights of The PGA in England (South) schedule, the sixth Seve Ballesteros Foundation Pro-Am, supported by EFG Private Bank and hosted at Foxhills, has to date helped raise funds in excess of £250,000 in aid of a cure for brain cancer, and to provide opportunities for underprivileged children to play golf.
Brendan Reynolds is the driving force behind this high profile Pro-Am and as a long-time friend of the Ballesteros family, he and his guests’ special day saw Chris Gane (LeftHandedGolf at Silvermere) and current Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit champion Benn Barham (PGolfCoaching@Pedham) tie with nine birdies each for their rounds of 63.
The southern stars edged Jordan Godwin’s (Barnehurst) 64 into second spot, and finished three strokes ahead of the 66s of Michael Lowe (Leatherhead), Chris Croucher (East Sussex National), Nico Els (Clandon Regis) and Bradley Harris (The Dyke).
With Gane playing in the group in front of Barham, both started on the 18th so the two players were constantly in sight of each other’s birdie barrages.
Gane opened with a birdie, only to be matched by Barham. Gane then made birdies at the third, fourth and fifth, while Barham could only make them at the fourth and fifth. They both birdied the seventh, the eighth and the 10th, and then Gane made another at the 12th to go two ahead.
Both birdied the 14th, but then Barham piled on the pressure with birdies at the 15th and 16th to level up with Gane once more. Both players were unable to find anything more in the tank at the 17th, their last hole, and so they concluded the most fiercely fought tie of the season.
Delighted with his performance, the Surrey left-hander commented, “It was great to watch Benn behind me, knowing that he could see my score on each hole and then try to match it!”
Gane continued, “I know I speak for all Professionals in The PGA when I say that this is a very special day in any golf professional’s season, as it is for all the amateurs who came along to support it. It’s a great cause, and one in particular that we all feel allows us to remember the great man himself.”
“So both Benn and I are delighted to have played our best in memory of Seve, our hero and the man who not only gave so many professionals the belief that we could aspire to his achievements, but also gave every other golfer the pleasure of seeing one of the greatest characters in the history of the game.”
