Two shot victory for aspiring PGA Professional over strong field on one of Surrey’s finest
Ben Greenhalgh took top spot and £1,000 for his impressive card of three-under-par 66*, winning The Addington Pro-Am by two shots from his nearest rivals.
Based on experience, Greenhalgh knew how to plot his way around Abercromby’s masterpiece, where to par and where to go for brdies. He made a great start by deucing the opening hole, and while the par three third took its revenge, he made another two at the seventh to be out in one-under-par.
Another short hole, this time the 11th, bit back and put him on level par yet again, but Greenhalgh bounced right back with a strong birdie at the par five 12th. He made par at the 13th, a hole where most of the field was dropping a stroke, and then birdied the 14th.
Nosing into the lead, he made a decisive move up the 18th with an impressive birdie on one of The Addington’s tougher holes to finish with a winning card of 66.
Delighted with his performance, Greenhalgh said: “It’s such an inspiring course, a classic in its own right and in terrific condition as well. It was an interesting card for 13 holes, with all the action being on the par threes, but I was pleased with the way I played the five finishing holes, especially that birdie up the 18th.”
The nearest rivals comprised three players on one-under-par: Stoke Park’s Van Phillips, 2016 Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit champion Adam Wootton from Oxford Golf Centre, and Mid Sussex’s Mark Fairhall. Philips turned in two-under but a solitary bogey at the 13th and pars all the way home left him with his 68.
Wootton made four birdies and three bogeys on the way to his 68, droping a shot at the final hole to slip back into a tie for second spot.
Fairhall managed to get to two-under after 10 holes, but a bogey at that unlucky for some 13th hole and then another at the 15th set his chances back. Pushing for birdies, he scored a deuce at the 17th to push himself into a well earned share of second place.