Senior PGA Championship

Posted by Andrew Murray on Jun 27

De Vere Slayley Hall is hosting this years Senior PGA for the 2nd year and what a different course it is this time around! Last year was thwarted by torrential rain and a course that played so long for us over 50′s. This year however the course was  a perfect picture for the pre event pro am on Wednesday, fast running fairways , perfect greens and sunshine! I had the absolute pleasure of partnering Paul Collingwood, the England 1day cricket captain[ for those who do not know!]. What an absolute gent he is too, and a hell of a player too. We as a team did not feature in the prizes mainly due to their Pro!

Gordon J Brand is the defending champ this week, so along with the usual suspects Woosman,Mason, Torrance, Smyth was among the favourites. I played well here last year and was just 2 out of the play off, so had high hopes also.

High winds dominated the 1st day, and my 4 over was down mainly to my ‘scoring clubs’, putter & wedges! Day 2 started brightly but then an east coast mist enveloped the whole region, and being 1000ft above sea level, this beauiful part of Northumberland was not to be seen!! A 2 hour delay with 12 holes to play ensued, and when we returned the course was very different indeed. Heavy rain for the last 2 hours made a tough course, even harder. I did manage to make the cut with a 75 as scoring rocketed up. All that with a misbehaving putter too. Day 3  was a tad better on the greens but a horrid run around the turn cost me dear, bogey, double, bogey from the 7th when sub par, prevented a good score, so 74 it was . I am getting better tho’, bets on  a73 on Sunday?

Carl Mason is leading on -6, and will start the final round as hot favourite, that’s assuming we play as the mist has decended again!

I will advise….such a shame all this for spectators , TV & sponsors De Vere who no doubt wanted great pictures of this brilliant resort beamed the world over. Fingers crossed I just hope the met office have got it wrong for Sunday’s forcast. cheers AM

Filed Under Tour News 2009