GOLF: Goodwin claims Gloucester & Somerset PGA Matchplay (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cirencester golf pro succesfully defends his Matchplay title

10:55am Sunday 30th September 2012 in Sport

CIRENCESTER’S Ed Goodwin ended a marathon day by successfully defending his Gloucester and Somerset PGA Matchplay title as he defeated Long Ashton’s Roy Holland 4&3 in the final at Henbury.

After the weather disrupted the opening day, three rounds were squeezed into a single day to complete the tournament that was sponsored by Bristol-based chartered accountants Wormald & Partners.

It looked for a while that no play would be possible on the opening day as a month’s worth of rain fell on the area in just two hours. But the first round was completed that afternoon.

Home assistant and top seed Ross Langdon got things underway to beat Mike Laband (Weston-super-Mare) 4&3, Rod Hibbitt (Cotswold Edge) beat Danny White (The Players Club) 2&1, Goodwin beat Ryan Dix (Cirencester) 2&1, David Haines (Brean) beat Terry Williams (Farrington) 1 up, Nick Ellis (Naunton Downs) beat Kevin Pitts (The Mendip) 2up, Daryl Kelley (Filton) beat Pat Baker (Mendip Spring) 4&3, Holland beat Alex Munro (Oake Manor) by a 4&3 margin.

Paul Gravell stepped in to replace his Bristol Golf Centre colleague Giuseppe Licata who withdrew due to the birth of his first child and dispatched second seed Andrew March (Brean) at the final hole.

The weather was kinder on day two when Goodwin was first to complete his quarter-final match defeating Haines 8&7. Holland also made short work of Kelley 5&4. Langdon fell to Hibbitt 3&2, while Ellis beat Gravell on the last green.

The semi-finals were close. Goodwin only beat Hibbitt at the 18th, while Holland reached his second final in three years beating Ellis 2&1.

Although the original plan was for the final to be played the following day, as there was plenty of daylight left the players elected to make their third trip of the day around the course.

Goodwin, this year’s West Region PGA captain, produced a barrage of birdies and was four ahead by the 11th. Although Holland also made birdies the match ended on the 15th green.

Goodwin had completed 42 holes and Holland 43 during their longest day of golf – and that included three tough trips up the notorious Henbury Hill.