Fineturf Sponsors Midland PGA Tournament at Belton Woods Grantham
Walley’s high-five in Midland Pro’s Championship
Shirland pro soars like an eagle after play-off victory
Ian Walley will quite probably remember the par five 18th hole at De Vere Belton Woods for the remainder of his days. He had to play it eight times on his way to winning the Fineturf Midland Professionals Championship.
First he eagled it. Then he twice made par on the same hole – the latter to earn himself a place in a play-off for the title. And then he revisited it five times, on four occasions making birdie and the last – and the most important – another eagle.
His final putt on the 486-yard finishing hole was all of eight yards and it cemented his victory over Simon Lilly who had been equally stubborn in not wanting to relinquish the title.
Five times they trudged back to the 18th tee and there was nothing to separate the duelling pair until the final blow was struck. It needed an eagle to clinch it.
For Walley, the teaching pro at Shirland Golf Club, it was just desserts. He had played superbly over two days to finish 15-under-par and was understandably delighted to have won his first Midland PGA Order of Merit event.
For Lilly, it was a cruel blow. It was the Kettering pro’s third second place in Order of Merit tournaments this season and, while he now sits in second place in the table behind Moor Hall’s Cameron Clark, he will rue his missed opportunity.
His card will show no bogies over 54 holes and it took a brilliant eagle to push him into second place at Belton Woods. Southwell’s Paul Streeter, who briefly topped the leader board at one stage in the final round yesterday, finished third.
But it was Walley’s day. He had led after every round and was delighted to reap the rewards for his determination throughout the week. He admitted playing alongside Lilly and Streeter proved inspiring.
“It is always nice to play against guys who have had so much experience,
