2024 Platinum
Playing at Blundellsands in the north-west qualifying round of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship, the flagship event for Britain and Ireland's top club pros, the 41-year-old from Mossock Hall near Ormskirk fired a three-under 69 to lead the 95-strong field.
Signing for a card that included five birdies and two bogeys, Shacklady commented "It's very difficult to chase a score out there, the rough's so tough. You can't just bomb it off the tee, and I knew anything under par would be comfortably inside the qualifying limit" (the top 18 now compete in the 72-hole Glenmuir final at Moortown at the end of next month).
It was hardly an auspicious start for the man who qualified to play in last year's Open Championship at Carnoustie, and won the North Region's Order of Merit. Three putts on the opening green then a failure to birdie the par-five next after being in a fairway bunker left Shacklady on the defensive. But a seven-iron off the tee at the 159-yard third to 15 feet and a holed putt restored him to par.
Two further gains, at the par-four seventh and eighth, had him to the turn in 34, two under. After his second bogey of the day, at the long 11th, he immediately retrieved the stroke at the 179-yard 12th, but not without some good fortune. After his four-iron tee shot ran through the back and up a grass banking, he chipped in from 25 feet.
Two successive three-woods to just in front of the 530-yard 16th, followed by a chip and a putt gave Shacklady his last birdie of a well-compiled round.
A year ago in the same competition over the same course David Green from Dukinfield took a driver at the last, eventually ran up a seven, and missed the play-off by a shot. This time he wisely opted for a three-iron, and comfortably got his par for a round that added up to 70.
"That was my shot of the day - using the head on the tee", said the 28-year-old. "It's the first time I've qualified for the Glenmuir final, and I'm really looking forward to playing at Moortown."
Two superb woods on the long 16th rewarded Knott End pro Paul Walker with an eagle three, that helped ensure him a place in the final. Paul, who's 45, shot a fine two-under 70, good enough to share second place.
"I've never played the course before", admitted Paul. "That's probably because there have scarcely been any professional events there in recent years. But I'm certainly looking forward to it."
After a front nine of 37, one over par, Walker, who's been Knott End pro for 16 years, birdied the 10th and 15th (he dropped a shot at the short 12th), before despatching a three-wood 270 yards off the 16th tee. Another hit by the same club, this time 250 yards, ended up 12 feet from the flag, and the putt found the centre of the hole for a super eagle.
Paul, and 17 other qualifiers from West Lancs will be bidding for a top prize of £10,000 at Moortown, plus the use of a top-of-the-range Peugeot for a year.
