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08 September, 2008

McLean Leaps Into Lead After Masters Victory

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Surrey's Michael McLean leapt to the top of the South Region Order of Merit after winning a very wet, rain-curtailed PGA Southern Masters at West Malling.

McLean won by one stroke from overnight leader Nick Redfern (Blue Canyon CC) after the final day was shortened from 36 to 18 holes.

With heavy rain falling and the greens becoming waterlogged tournament officials had no option but to call a halt with 11 of the 16 groups having already started their third rounds in the event, sponsored for the first time by specialist cleaning services firm the CK Group.

That meant McLean's second-round 67 in the morning - following his first round 73 - was enough to give him the title, one of the oldest and most prestigious on the schedule, and the £3,000 winner's cheque.

Redfern slipped to a second-round 74 and, as a result, dropped into second place.
Richard Wallis (Princes) was third on level par after rounds of 70 and 72 with Sutton Green's Bernard White finishing fourth on two over.

The result rocketed McLean - who finished 21st, sixth and 19th in his previous three counting events - to first place in the Order of Merit and in contention to qualify for the end-of-season Srixon PGA Play-offs at Royal Liverpool, in which the top three from the PGA's seven regions compete to be crowned the best of the best.

Craig Cowper (World of Golf) moved up from three to two in the Order of Merit by finishing joint ninth on five over.

Hoebridge Golf Centre's Steven Cowle dropped to third after finishing two strokes further back in a share of 14th.

Leader before this week Gary Marks, also based at World of Golf in New Malden, paid the price for failing to make the cut by dropping to fourth in the Order of Merit.

The leading three finishers qualify for the end of season Srixon PGA Play-Offs at Royal Liverpool on October 21-22.