All to play for in Sussex Order of Merit
03/10/2017
Bradley Harris is on course to win his first PGA in Sussex Order of Merit title with just one event to play at Cooden Beach.
The results of three pro-ams played in rapid succession helped shape the Order or Merit listings and has set up what looks to be a tight finish.
Harris now leads the way edging Singing Hills’s Chris Croucher into second place, with just the PGA in Sussex Autumn Meeting at Cooden Beach on October 19 left to play.
Lea Cooper (Tilgate Forest) and Lewis Parker (Littlehampton) tied for top place at the Ham Manor Pro-Am on September 28. They both finished on rounds of one-under par 69 to edge out Harris Paul Nessling (Cooden Beach), Jonathan Elliott (Burgess Hill Golf Academy) and Ryan Fitzgerald (Ashdown Forest) into a tie for the runners up spot.
At the Cottesmore Charity Pro-Am the next day, Harris outclassed the rest with a fine two-under-par round of 70. Taking his cheque for £700, he left Fitzgerald, Luke Bangerter (Nevill), David Copsey (DCGS Poult Wood) and Dan Croucher (Haywards Heath) two shots off the mark in a tie for second place.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for Harris however. Level par at the turn, he was one-over after the 12th but a terrific run of birdies through the 14th, 15th and 16th made sure he got top billing after all.
The Golf College’s Tim Spence overcame windy conditions to win the Selsey Pro-Am with a fine two-under-par 66. Taking home the £500 first prize, Spence finished two shots ahead of his closest rivals, Lee-on-the-Solent’s James Ablett and Piltdown’s Richard Hill who tied for the runners up spot.
While busy teaching aspiring students about the game and the business of golf, Spence is a great believer in keeping his hand in. Besides winning at Selsey he also tied for victory at Wrotham Heath in August and has enjoyed a handful of good placings throughout the 2017 season.
But with a second place at Ham Manor and victory at Cottesmore, it’s Harris who’s made the most of the Sussex Swing and ensured he’s the one the others have to catch at Cooden Beach.
