RAYLEIGH golfer Mark Hooper gave his hopes of reaching the PGA Play-Offs a major boost with victory in the PGA East Anglian Open at Basildon Golf Club.

The top three players from the PGA in England (East) Order of Merit will make it through to the prestigious end-of-season finale, which takes place at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey from November 29 to December 1.

Before the latest tournament, Hooper – a member at the Rayleigh Club – had slipped to 10th spot, despite being successful in the PGA East Region Championship at Essendon Country Club in June.

But he put himself right back in the play-offs picture at Basildon, thanks to rounds of 66 and 70 that left him on eight-under-par, two shots clear of the runner-up Andrew George.

Hooper’s triumph saw him climb to second in the official standings, ahead of the final Order of Merit event, which will be played next week at his home club.

“I knew what I had to do to get back in the play-offs again – and it was lovely to go out there and do it,” said Hooper, who finished top of the Order of Merit in 2013.

“I think, when you’ve got a clear goal of what you need to do, it makes you score a little bit easier. I only came here to play positive golf.

“Sometimes, when you are already in the top-three, it’s sometimes easy to guard. But because I knew I had to win or finish second, it made it clear in my mind what I needed to do. I am over the moon to have won. I’m really pleased with how I felt so relaxed when I was leading.

“It feels like as I’ve got older, when I am under pressure I seem to be doing a lot better. I don’t seem to struggle too much.

“Sometimes the things you do mentally are more satisfying than what you do technically.”

Hooper’s opening six-under-par effort ensured that he started the second round with a two-shot lead.

He extended that advantage to four, thanks to birdies at the second and third holes.

George (Ely City) began the day three back, but launched a concerted challenge with a superb scoring spree. He rattled off three straight birdies from the third, before driving the green at the par-four seventh hole and then converting from 12 feet for the eagle.

The Cambridgeshire profes-sional sank a curling 15-footer for another birdie at the next and suddenly he was breathing down Hooper’s neck. As the pressure increased on the back nine, George was unable to sustain that sort of form – and a double bogey at the 16th effectively ended his chances.

Hooper kept his nerve with some composed golf to hold at bay playing partner Jason Levermore (Chan-nels). A key chip-and-putt for par at the dangerous 13th, followed by a birdie at the 16th restored a healthy cushion at the top for Hooper.

He could even afford to bogey the penultimate hole before signing off with a two-putt par at the last to clinch victory.

The Order of Merit race will come to a thrilling conclusion at The Rayleigh Club Championship, which will take place on September 24-25.

PGA East Anglian Open (Basildon Golf Club). Leading scores: 136: M Hooper (The Rayleigh Club) 66 70. 138: A George (Ely City) 69 69. 140: J Levermore (Channels) 68 72. 141: D Salisbury (American Golf Discount Centre) 72 69.

 

Boyce champs get their hands on trophies

BOYCE Hill’s mens 36-hole club championship was a close run affair. In the morning, Mark Stones and Andy May shared the lead with scores of 69. But, in the afternoon, scratch golfer Stones carded an impressive 67 for a total of 136 to take the Championship Cup for the eighth time. Alex McGown (72,71) on 143 took second place on countback from Andy May whose afternoon round of 74 gave him the same total.

Alex Murley, the club’s 10 handicap cadet captain, won both the Alan Poole Plate for the best cadet gross score of 150 and with a net 130 he also took the Handicap Cup for members with handicaps of 12 and below.

Members with handicaps between 13 and 18 also played for the Mid Handicap Clark Cup. The winner was Thomas Sibun who followed a morning net 65 with 63 in the afternoon for an aggregate 128. Matt Swain took second place with a net 131.

In the ladies’ championship, after missing out twice by only one shot, 12 handicap Chris Noden won the 36 hole scratch champions trophy with a gross 177. In second place and just one shot more was Louise Daniels.

The Silver Handicap Cup for ladies with handicaps of 20 and below was won by 17 handicap Debbie Sutton with a gross 179 and nett 145.

The bronze division is for ladies with a handicap of 21 and above. Winner of the Rose Bowl with the best scratch score was Kay Dines.

She also won the Kismet Cup by recording the best nett score of 147.

The ladies seniors play their championship over 18 holes. Sue Hilton took the Seniors Scratch Cup with a gross 86, just shading Dolores Foreman on countback. Hilton, who plays off 17, also won the Seniors Handicap Cup with a nett 69.

 

Wells digs in deep to get over poor medal start

ROCHFORD Hundred hosted its September Saturday medal at the weekend with just a solitary shot splitting the top three in division one.

Three handicapper Tom Wells won courtesy of a 73-3=70 and a fine back nine as he recovered from an indifferent start.

Wells started with a double bogey six on his opening hole but after two more dropped shots before the turn he began to turn his game around with a birdie on the par five 10th.

Two more birdies followed which even allowed him the luxury of a dropped shot on his final hole as he denied Matt Fearn (72-1=71).

Fearn was one under par to the course through six holes courtesy of no dropped shots and a superb birdie on the stroke index one fifth. Back to back bogeys halted his progress, with a further dropped shot on the back nine leaving him just too far adrift despite a closing birdie.

Third-placed Connor Morris (72-1=71) earned himself a scratch handicap.

The second division saw the day’s best net score as 12 handicapper Gregg Simonovitch returned 77-12=65 to finish five clear. He posted seven pars and three birdies. Tony Rosen (78-8=70) snatched second on countback from Henry Gibbons (77-7=70) as the first three all earned handicap reductions.

The third section saw equally impressive performances from section winner David Franklin as he posted 85-18=67, with Graham West (89-20=69) placing second with a further four shots back to Andy Fraser in third.

Henry Gibbons carried on his form as he stole the show in the midweek Scott Spencer stableford with an excellent 46 points to reduce his handicap by two to eight.

Terry Strelis scored 40 points to place second with Aaron Gregory third with 39.