Red-hot putter gives Watson the edge
21/06/2017
Michael Watson turned back the clock to claim his third win in seven years at Cotswold Edge with a remarkable putting display on the hottest day of the year.
The Wessex Golf Centre player from Weymouth started sensationally. He made seven birdies in a front nine of seven-under-par 29 with pars on the second and fifth. But it was a totally different story on the way home.
Dropped shots at the 10th and a succession of pars until his eighth birdie at the last took him into the lead on six-under 65.
“It was all down to putting,” he said. “I putted superby with a putter as hot as the weather on the front nine but then then it went cold. I have been striking the ball well this season, better than my scores would suggest. But with me it’s all down to putting.”
After back-to-back wins at the Cotswolds course in 2011 and 2012, he returned to the winner’s circle for the first time this summer. “It’s now my time of year and I’m just coming into form,” he said. “In all the years I have been coming to the course I have never seen it look better.”
He finished two shots clear of Paul Hendriksen (Ivybridge), his fellow team member in the PGA Cup triumph in California. Hendriksen’s round was in total contrast. He struggled on the way out with two birdies and two bogeys. But four birdies in the last six holes took him one shot ahead of the clubhouse leaders on 68.
Ashley Mansell (Clevedon) eagled the last, Richard O’Hanlon (St Kew) landed six birdies, Toby Hunt (St Mellons) five, Lee Thompson (Dudsbury) four, Mark Searle (High Post) three, while Giuseppe Licata (Chipping Sodbury) and George Ryall (Burnham and Berrow) birdied the final two holes.
Dan Carter (Upavon) and Sion Bebb (Morlais Castle) shared tenth on 69 as the other players under par on a day that raised funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Home assistant Kristian Crane led a home team of juniors Ali Buncher, Hannah Brown-Pearce and Tom Cranwell to victory on 18-under-par 124. Watson’s Baldwin Accountants trio of Dave Clutterbuck, David Foulkes and Dave Stephenson were two behind followed by Hunt’s W Morgan team of Brad Jennings, Mike Britton and Des Lane on 128.
