'Swan-derful' for Bebb at Oake Manor

ABOVE - Winner Sion Bebb with Ashley Mansell and Lydia Hall after the play-off.

Sion Bebb claimed his first Order of Merit trophy for 17 years after an angry swan threatened to derail his chances in the Total Triumph Classic at Oake Manor.

The 48-year-old Morlais Castle club professional beat Ladies European Tour player Lydia Hall (Hensol Golf Academy) and rising West star Ashley Mansell (Clevedon) with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death play-off.

Then he revealed that, after making a birdie at the par five 15^th in the second round to take a one-shot lead into the easy final three holes, he was attacked by the swan as he was putting for a birdie at the short 16th beside a lake.

“The crazy swan put me off and I three-putted,” he said. “I missed an eight-footer for birdie at the next and only parred the last so l thought my chance had gone.

“I was struggling with my driver all week and used irons off some tees to keep me in play. When I had another nasty pull-hook on the first play-off hole I thought I had gone out of bounds and my chances had gone.”

But his ball was just playable behind a clump of bushes. His brilliant high wedge found the fringe and he saved par. He produced his best drive of the week for the 546-yard second, followed with a three-iron to 50 feet below the hole and two-putted for victory.

His last OOM win was in the BMW Classic at Dudsbury in 2000 before his move to the European Tour. Now he wants further success and has targeted the end-of-season Play-Offs as his next goal.

That was also the aim of the other contenders at the immaculate Somerset venue.  Welsh Professional champion Hall, 29, was four under par after the opening six holes of the second round and finished eagle, birdie for six-under-par 64 to break the ladies’ course record by three and set the target of seven-under 133.

She was eventually caught by Mansell who came home in four-under-par for 65. “I drove well, my iron play was solid and my putting good,” said the confident 26-year-old Somerset player who is showing every sign that he will fulfil his aim of making this his big year.

Although he failed to complete a hat-trick of triumphs and fell one shot short after a flawless 66 Paul Hendriksen (Ivybridge) was happy enough. He lost concentration over a five-hole spell from the ninth on the first day when he dropped his only three shots.

“The key to reaching the Play-Offs is to finish in the top five in each OOM event,” he said. “I played all right and hit some great putts but unfortunately some didn’t drop, like the 15-footer at the last that would have taken me into the play-off.”

Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) took great encouragement from 64, his low round of the season and only the third time he has broken 70. Plymouth-based former PGA champion Scott Drummond also shared fourth after a six-birdie 66.

A series of putting woes thwarted Richard O’Hanlon (St Kew) who shared the overnight lead of four-under 66 with Bebb although he was happy with his game. He dropped three shots in ten holes but signed for par. He shared seventh on 136 with Adam Curtis (Bude) who maintained his high placing with a steady 69 for his best OOM finish.

Liam Copp (Farrington Park), who spent two years as shop assistant to former Mendip professional Kevin Pitts, won the gross amateur medal in the concurrent competition on the final day. He shot 67. His three-under back nine was decisive as Matt Turner (Burnham and Berrow) and Josh Martin (Oake Manor) also returned 67.

Freddie Titcombe, a 15-year-old Broome Manor and Wiltshire county junior, won the Division 1 net prize on 66 playing off four while Ricky Selway (Oake Manor) won Division II on 66.