Harris Recovers From Shaky Start
Published: 20 May 2009
Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship Results Release
An eagle and two birdies in the closing four holes at Prince’s, near Sandwich, lifted Jamie Harris into a share of the lead in the region’s qualifying round for the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.
The 32-year-old instructor at Tonbridge Golf Centre shook off a dodgy start – two over after four holes – to sign for a 69, three under par – and tie with Scott Stevens from Stablehurst.
“It was a nice finish”, agreed Harris. “Qualifiers are weird, really. They’re about avoiding making silly errors. When I was two over early on, I had to convince myself that a birdie or two would surely be enough to get me in the first 16 (the number qualifying for the 72-hole final next month at Dundonald Links, near Troon).”
Those birdies duly arrived, at the sixth and seventh, and after one more dropped shot, at the 10th, Harris turned the screw. A superb seven-iron second downwind at the 497-yard 15th, travelling all of 185 yards, finished six feet from the flag, and that eagle putt raised his spirits.
A wedge to 15 inches at the 366-yard 16th guaranteed another gain, and the fireworks were completed on the final hole (420 yards), this time a wedge to 12 feet followed by an unerring putt.
Stevens has given himself a chance to go one better in this year’s 72-hole final. “I missed the Glenmuir cut last year at Moortown by a single shot, not helped by atrocious weather. I know Dundonald Links is tough but it’ll be great to play a course with such a good reputation.”
Two three-putts marred an otherwise exemplary round for the 33-year-old. Two shots in particular pleased Stevens – a 250-yard three-wood second stroke at the 522-yard second hole which ended up 12 feet from the pin for a two-putt birdie.
And no less satisfying was a towering five-iron, hit 175 yards into the wind at the 454-yard 10th, coming to rest 10 feet away. No birdie joy, though – that putt eased past.
For someone who putted ‘fairly horribly’, Kyle Kelsall scored remarkably well. The 46-year-old Tenterden pro carded a two-under 70, missing just one fairway and only three greens in regulation.
“That score is the most I could have had”, he said. “I must have left about 10 putts just short of the hole, otherwise I daren’t think how low I could’ve gone.”
Birdies at the second, fourth and seventh had him out in a flawless 33, and his final gain of the round, at the long 12th, cancelled out by two dropped shots – at the 10th and 18th – left him signing for a 70.
The winner at Dundonald Links picks up £10,000 from a prize fund of £78,000, and the leading 10 finishers will be exempt from regional qualifying for next year’s Open Championship at St Andrews.
