Dramatic Win For Rutbotham - 27/07/2007

JAMES RUEBOTHAM won The GMS Classic at Mollington GC in Cheshire following an amazing eight-hole play-off against Christopher Hanson on Friday.

The duo ended the PGA EuroPro Tour event locked at -11 following three excellent rounds at Mollington.

Hanson could have taken victory in regulation play after firing in four birdies and an eagle, but a bogey at the last - his only dropped shot - saw him finish with a 66 for the day.

Ruebotham also shot four birdies and an eagle, but dropped shots at the 12th and 16th holes saw him finish on 67 to join Hanson at 11 under par.

With second round leader Andrew Willey slipping to -8 with a 73 on Friday, Ruebotham and Hanson returned to the 18th for a play-off.

They both birdied the par four at the first attempt, before Hanson recovered from being plugged in a bunker to ensure that they also tied on the second.

The next four times they played the hole they matched shot-for-shot with pars before Hanson's 30 foot birdie putt ensured that Ruebotham had to sink a tricky eight-footer to stay in contention.

He did, and then holed a ten-foot birdie putt to take victory at the eighth attempt, with Hanson only able to produce a four.

"I'm delighted, but pretty tired!" admitted Welwyn Garden City's Ruebotham. "Chris holed some great putts but I was in a great frame of mind having finished well.

"I played pretty well but thought it would be tight and that maybe 12-under-par would take victory.

"I've played in play-offs in Open Qualifying before, and won an Amateur event in one too so I've got a nice record - two out of two in competition!"

Yorkshireman Hanson, who represents Crosland Heath, admitted: "It will be a good experience for me.

"I've got a lot of positives to take into the next event at Collingtree Park next week.

"I enjoyed the play-off, but eight holes was a lot of golf, especially in this heat and after 18 holes today.

"I didn't look at the scoreboard whilst I was going round so I didn't know until afterwards that I could have won outright, but that's life."

Matthew Richardson recovered from bogeying the first two holes to hit five birdies and take third place at -9.

A superb 66 from Darren Prosser saw him join Willey at -8, with David Price and Matthew Cort a further shot back.

Graeme Clark recorded the best score of the day with a 65 to join Jason Levermore, David Fisher and Royal Liverpool's Ian Keenan at -6.

The GMS Classic - Final Result

The PGA EuroPro Tour continues next week with The PartyPoker.com International Open at Collingtree Park GC.