Rodgers is new PGA Southern Professional Champion
08/09/2017
Richings Park’s Chris Rodgers flew away with the CK Group PGA Southern Professionals Championship after shooting a magical 18-under par total of 198 to win by five clear strokes.
Bagging the biggest Order of Merit cheque of the season (£2,500) for his cards of 67, 64 and 67, Rodgers has jumped up the Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit into second place behind current leader, Canterbury’s Richard Wallis.
Tied with Oxford Golf Centre’s Adam Wootton (67, 62, 74) with a score of 13-under-par 203 for second place was Left Handed Golf at Silvermere’s James Ford (67, 65, 71).
Besides a hole-in-one in the second round, Wallis also accumulated a few more vital Order of Merit points, shooting a third round 66 for fourth spot.
Earning his PGA qualification at the end of last year, Rodgers has devoted more time to practicing and after coming close a few times, including a second spot in the PGA Surrey Open.
The young PGA Professional said: “After three years of competing in PGA events, it’s great to win one of the big ones, especially in such a strong field where the majority of the finishers were under par.
“With Richard Wallis’s hole in one in the second round this morning followed by Adam’s amazing ten-under-par 62, the buzz at lunchtime was terrific. But I’d managed to stay in touch with Adam after shooting a 64 this morning, and felt I could make another good score this afternoon.”
Rain came down at lunchtime, but Rodgers knew how to cope with the delays, saying: “I’ve got enough experience to know how to switch off and then switch back on and get straight back in the zone, whereas delays can often find players just turning off and unable to find that winning groove again.”
Known for being one of the straightest hitters around, Rodgers was especially pleased not just to have played well, but to make just the one bogey – a three putt at the eighth this afternoon – throughout all three rounds, testament if any more was needed to his winning abilities and consistency.
He added: “I played for the last two rounds with a great playing partner, Mark Belsham, who spurred me on. It was all very stress-free, but on the 16th I learned Adam had dropped a few shots and that I was probably in the lead!” Just to make sure, Rodgers birdied the last two holes for good measure.
Rodgers has been knocked out of the Keith MacDonald PGA South Match Play***, but he’s now aiming for a good finish in the Crisp Thinking PGA Farnham Finale on October 5th to 6thand a place in the PGA Play Offs that could earn him a spot in next year’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
