Mortimer Magic Wins PGA Flagship

Photo Jan Kruger / Getty Images Europe

David Mortimer of FORE Ireland birdied the final hole of the Glenmuir PGA Championship Grand Final at The Oxfordshire to sign for a 68 earning a playoff with the overnight leader, David Shacklady of Mossock Hall in England, as both players ended on 9 under.

Mortimer was in the third last group and after posting the leading score in the clubhouse moved across to the practice range to wait for the last two chasing groups to complete their rounds.

In the second last group Stuart Little of England was only one shot adrift on 8 under but could par the last to finish with a 73 on 8 under. The Galway native then had to wait for the joint overnight leaders – David Shacklady and Robert Giles – to make their way to the eighteenth in order to learn his fate.

Robert Giles of Greenore in the end signed for a 74 - despite an eagle on the 7th hole - dropping three shots on the back nine to leave him out of contention and settle for a share of 7th place on four under. 

David Shacklady ended with a 69 - having completed the final three holes in level par – and unable to stretch his lead further from the waiting Mortimer and so the PGA Championship went to a play off.

It was the Irish player who emerged from the play off victorious and collected the winner’s cheque of ten thousand pounds adding to the Irish PGA title Mortimer won in 2006. The Fore Ireland pro based at the GUI Academy at Carton House clinched the title on the second extra play-off hole with a 20 foot birdie when Shacklady's putt from 15 feet lipped out.

"It was a nice way to finish, it was hard luck on Dave he played a good hole but I just managed to sneak one in there," said Mortimer. "I wasn't too nervous in the play-off. I enjoyed it and actually hit a couple of good shots.

"It's my first time playing in the Glenmuir, I always wanted to see what the standard was and to be honest I just holed a few putts at the right time. I didn't play particularly great all week but the golf course wasn't too punishing with the rough so you can get away with it."

Shacklady had no complaints and in fact nearly won it in regulation play with a sensational pitch shot that landed 20ft past the pin and span back missing the hole by inches. This was after he'd driven into a bunker on 18 and could only play up to 70 yards from the pin.

"It wasn't quite enough but I can't complain about the week, I've enjoying it immensely especially the way I've played under pressure," said Shacklady. "I felt like I was always going to have a good chance of winning. I was watching the leader boards thinking two pars on the last might do it but David birdied the last which I wasn't thinking was in the equation so fair play to him for doing that.

"You don't get a sterner test than four rounds around here against the best players so losing a play-off is no problem - it would have been lovely to win it but so be it."

Overnight leader Stuart Little (Minchinhampton) endured a mixed round including a double bogey on the par four 10th when he found water. He got to eight under and needed a birdie at the last to join the play off but left his putt just short. His 73 earned him third place at eight-under- par, a stroke ahead of Cherry Burton's John Wells.

Donal Gleeson of Old Conna also carded a 68 and finished 3 under to take a share of 10th place.

John Kelly [77] of St. Margaret’s Golf and Country Club and John Dwyer of Ashbourne [74] finished on 2 over in a tie for 18th place.

FORE Ireland was set up in 2009 to promote golf in Ireland, manage events and support players on the European Tour - or trying to reach that goal.

FORE Ireland also provides PR coverage for Irish golfers, in particular Team Ireland players, competing on the Challenge Tour, Ladies European Tour and the European Tour.

Team members currently include Michael Collins; David Mortimer; Mark Staunton; Ted Higgins; Kevin Dorrian and 1995 Ryder Cup winner, Philip Walton 

Mortimer Fourth Ahead of Final Round

Photo : INPHO

David Mortimer of FORE Ireland completed a level par round on day three of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship to remain five under for the tournament in a share of fourth place with John Wells of England - who signed for  a 69 –  and four shots behind the tournament leader, Englishman Stuart Little.

Little opened a three shot gap from the pair in second place – David Shacklady and Robert Giles -after carding a 69 at The Oxfordshire picking up the three shots on the front nine – including an eagle on the par 5 seventh and finishing the back nine in level par. The former European Tour player tops the leader board on nine under.

Overnight leader Jamie Harris slumped to a 77 and fell back down the field to 2 under.

David Shacklady of England signed for a level par 72 and Englishman Robert Giles of Greenore carded a 71 to remain one shot ahead of Wells and Mortimer.

John Kelly of St. Margaret’s Golf and Country Club was level par having dropped a couple of shots on the front nine then recovering them on the back stretch.

John Dwyer of Ashbourne ended the day two under par with eagles on the 7^th and 17^th to remain level par overall.

Donal Gleeson of Old Conna dropped to one over par after a two over par round of 74.

For the final round David Mortimer is paired with John Bevan of Wessex Golf Club at 12:03hrs in the third last group.

Robert Giles of Greenore is in the last pairing alongside Stuart Little.

Mortimer Still in Glenmuir Final

In the second round of the PGA Glenmuir Championship Grand Final David Mortimer of FORE Ireland remains the leading Irish player after a two under par round of 70 - finishing with consecutive birdies on the 17th and 18th the holes at The Oxfordshire to move up to 5 under. 

Mortimer could have been one shot better except for a setback on the par four 16th where he dropped a shot. 

The FORE Ireland player is joined by Robert Giles of Greenore who went around in 66 shots earlier in the day - leading the event at one point. Both Irish PGA players share 5th place and are two shots off the leader, James Harris, of England. 

A group of three players – David Shacklady, David Greenwood and Stuart Little of England share third place on 6 under overnight. 

John Kelly of St. Margaret’s Golf and Country Club signed for a 71 to drop down to 3 under for the tournament. 

Cameron Clark of Northern Ireland signed for a 74 to drop to 2 under from the share of the lead on day one. 

Donal Gleeson of Old Conna ended one under despite an eagle on the 11th hole with a double bogey on the par 3 fifth hole an early setback. 

John Dywer of Ashbourne matched his level par on day with a two over par 74 in the seodnr round to remain on the cut off mark of +2. 

Paul Stevenson of Portadown signed for a 74 to finish 9 over missing the cut. 

John Sugrue of Tralee finished day two with a 78 to end his role with 10 over. 

Martin Ward of P & M Golf Superstore Ltd carded a round of 76 to end his involvement with a score of +13. 

Last year's winner James Lee of Caerphilly also missed the cut after a second round 77. 

David Mortimer and Robert Giles are paired together and will tee off on Thursday at 11.48hrs.

Mortimer One Shot Off Glenmuir Lead

David Mortimer of FORE Ireland signed for a 69 in round one of the PGA Glenmuir Championship Grand Final at The Oxfordshire - dropping a shot on the final ninth hole – for a two share of fifth place overnight.


Mortimer is the leading Irish player after round one and just a shot behind the leading group of Cameron Clark of Northern Ireland, James Harris, Daniel Greenwood and Stuart Little of England all in a share of the lead after rounds of 68 setting the pace at 4 under.


John Kelly of St. Margaret’s Golf and Country Club eagled the 11th par five but went on to drop three shots before finishing to sign for a 70 to remain two under for day one.


Donal Gleeson of Old Conna matched Kelly’s two under score after a birdie on the ninth, and final hole, to take a share of seventh place.


Robert Giles of Greenore ended the day one over after a bright start which took him two under through three holes but ended the day with a 73.


John Sugrue of Tralee finished 4 over after signing for a 76.


Paul Stevenson of Portadown signed for a 79 to finish 7 over.


Martin Ward, P & M Golf Superstore Ltd carded a round of nine over par to finish on 81.

Last year's winner James Lee of Caerphilly signed for a 75.

David Mortimer tees off on Wednesday at 14:00hrs.

Mortimer In Glenmuir Final

Last May David Mortimer of FORE Ireland tied for top spot at the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship Irish Region qualifier at The Heritagge along with Donal Gleeson, of the Old Conna Club, as the pair carded two under par on a difficult day to win a place in the £78,000 final. 

Mortimer, 2006 Irish PGA Champion, had never played in the Glenmuir tournament before which is also supported by Peugeot and MPI Financial Services. 

Both Irish players will be joining last year's winner James Lee admits he would not have swapped the last 12 months for anything after a year to remember as he bids to defend his Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship title at The Oxfordshire on August 10-13. 

Lee, head PGA pro at Caerphilly club, won last year's final at a stormy Dundonald Links course and accepts that much of the attention will be on him as he tries to repeat the feat a year on. 

But he insists any pressure at this year's final is welcome after the doors that were opened for him by winning the tournament. 

"To go in as the reigning champion might suggest there's a bit of pressure on me, but to be honest, that's outweighed by the good things that have happened to me over the last year," he said. 

"I'll always be one of the players remembered as being a past champion and no-one can take that away from me. 

"Plus I was able to play in the PGA Cup with my good friend Andrew Barnett and although we lost, the performance wasn't as bad as the final score suggested. 

"In addition I played in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth which was a great week for me and for my family." 

Lee has experience of The Oxfordshire course but says his form will have to improve if he is to be among the leaders in the 72-hole event which carries a £90,000 prize and is supported by Peugeot and MPI Financial Services. 

Neil Holman (Torbay), Barry Austin (Downes Crediton), Matthew Griffiths (Oakdale) and Stuart Little (Minchinhampton) are all involved after tying for top spot at the West Region qualifier at Saunton. 

Bristol's Andrew Sherborne is also involved along with Richard Sadler of Cornwall's Killiow club. 

Colin Mee, managing director of Glenmuir, said: 

"The Oxfordshire is an extremely challenging, but fair, course and one that will provide a superb test for the finalists. 

"The standard of golf served up by the players will be of the highest order and we can be certain that the eventual winner will have exhibited great skill, patience and determination. 

"It's a very natural and dramatic course design that can be appreciated both by the players and spectators and we hope everyone who comes to the final - to compete or watch - has a fantastic time. 

"Two of the holes have been voted among the best 500 in the world by Golf Magazine, so it's a tremendously fitting location for this prestigious event."

The Oxfordshire Golf Club