Savill ties up Taylor at Reigate Heath

Epsom’s Adam Taylor and Tandridge’s Louis Savill shot rounds of one-under-par 33 to share victory in the Reigate Heath 9 Hole Pro-Am.

Splitting top prize to take home cheques for just under £500 each and defying the rainy weather enjoyed by the groups playing in the morning, the pair edged out the level par cards of Left Handed Golf at Silvermere’s James Ford, Tilgate Forest’s Lea Cooper and Bearwood Lakes Martin Woodbridge.

Playing around the course the voice of golf Peter Alliss called ‘A little gem!’ when he was filming the first of the Round With Alliss series, both PGA Professionals agreed that a nine hole Pro-Am made a refreshing change.

They were full of praise for the course and especially the greens, with Savill remarking: "These were up with the best we’ve played on this year."

Those playing Reigate Heath for the first time claimed the experience had completely changed their perceptions of nine hole golf.

Taylor explained: “Nine holes is a great way to play golf, have fun, and change people’s ideas about the time it takes to play.”

Underlining Reigate Heath’s challenge, his card for nine holes included pars on the fifth and ninth, bogeys on the first, third and sixth, and birdies at the second, fourth, seventh and eighth.

It was PGA Assistant Savill’s second win of the season and he revealed that patience was key to his victory.

He said: "With heather and tree lined fairways, course management was my best club in the bag today.

"Playing patiently yielded three birdies at the second, fourth and seventh, but two three putts and bogeys at the third and fifth underlined the speed of the challenging greens. But overall, my results are trending in the right direction."

In the team event, again it was one of the groups of early starters that set the pace. Based on the three best scores, Ford and members Mike Jones, Phil McKinley and Bill Seldon posted a score of 97 that remained unbeaten despite improved conditions in the afternoon.

The Morrison Solicitors sponsored event also saw lunchtime entertainment enjoyed by all in the form of both a novel Nearest to the Pin competition and a barbecue.

With crowd-pleasing commentary from West Hill’s David Osborn, the PGA Professionals each had three shots from the first tee in front of the clubhouse downhill to the second green some 200 yards away, and it was Cherry Lodge’s Craig Sutherland who claimed the £100 prize.