Saltford success for steady Eddie
24/02/2014
Ed Goodwin claimed top spot when the Gloucester and Somerset PGA resumed for their first outing in February at Saltford.
The Cirencester pro carded a one-over-par 70 to lead Naunton Downs duo Nick Ellis and Peter Garratt by one stroke, as golf returned to the county following an enforced three-week break due to heavy rain and flooding.
Perhaps the G&S PGA vice-chairman’s sharpness was only to be expected as he managed to get in some golf during the break, competing in an overseas pro-am in Spain.
Despite a delay to the start of his round following heavy traffic, Goodwin opened up with a birdie four. After a bogey at the fourth he took advantage of a forward tee at the par-four sixth to make eagle. But he dropped another shot at the ninth.
He drew level again with another birdie at the par-five 15th but ended with two bogeys.
More settled weather attracted 21 players to the course, located between Bath and Bristol, although some temporary greens were required on the back nine.
Goodwin, whose four-birdie haul shared the birdie sweep with Roy Holland (Long Ashton), has leapfrogged Holland into second place in the Total Triumph Order of Merit and narrowed the gap on leader Giuseppe Licata (Bristol Golf Centre) who could only tie for eighth on 74.
Runners-up Ellis and Garratt host the next medal on their home course. New vice-captain Ellis is enjoying an excellent season and he moved ahead of the absent David Haines (Brean) into fourth place in the OOM.
It was Garratt’s best result of the season although after the first hole it looked unlikely. He opened with a triple bogey eight but fought back with four birdies and an eagle. He would have won the birdie sweep but did not enter. He suffered another blow as he did not enter the Over 40’s sweep either, leaving Ellis the winner.
Graeme Biggs (Burnham Golf Range) and Terry Williams (Farrington Park) also shared fourth. It was Biggs’s best return of the season while Williamshanded in a steady card containing nothing higher than a five.
