Woodman Secures A Dramatic Play-off Victory - 09/04/2007

Click here to see all of the final scores from Collingtree Park" target="_blank" www.pga-tic.com/tic/tmtic.cgi]Click here[/url] to see all of the final scores from Collingtree Park  

GUY Woodman held his nerve to secure £10,000 after edging a three-way play-off in the latest event of the PGA EuroPro Tour season.

After three days of top-class golf at Collingtree Park, Northampton, three players - Woodman, Russell Claydon and Adam Frayne - were all tied on ten-under.

Each man played the 602-yard par-five 18th hole again and Frayne was the first to be eliminated as he hit par, while Woodman and Claydon secured birdies.

That meant the remaining two competitors would play the 18th once more and the decisive action came when Claydon hit his tee shot into the water. Woodman (pictured right) secured another birdie at the hole to clinch the title as Claydon could only manage a six.

It completed a remarkable day for Woodman as at the start of Friday's play he was in tied eighth, five shots behind joint leaders Claydon (St Mellion, Cornwall) and Frayne (Gog Magog, Cambs).

Woodman (Stoke Park, Bucks) had not improved his score over the first nine holes but then produced an incredible run of five birdies and an eagle in his last nine holes. At one stage, his total of ten-under gave him the outright lead but Claydon and Frayne both scored one-under on their final rounds to force the three-way play-off.

Elsewhere, Graeme Clark and Brian McElhinney (North West GC), who won the Irish events at Faithlegg and Roganstown respectively, again finished inside the top 20. Clark ended on eight-under to come tied fourth, while McElhinney ended in tied 14th position on four-under.

Fortunately, there were no delays on Friday after a three-hour stoppage on Thursday when play was halted from 12.45pm to 3.45pm due to a thunder and lightning storm.

That meant 11 groups had to complete their second round early on Friday. However, 13 players decided to not return a card as they believed they had no chance of making the cut, which came at one-over.

A total of 52 players advanced into the third round and this began at 9.40am on Friday with a two-tee start to fit everyone in.

Date posted: June 1, 2007