Haydn McCullen fired a superb 59 on his way to winning the Northern Open on the Callaway Chrome Tour Open Series at Moray Golf Club in Scotland
McCullen, who has already won The Manchester Open in the Callaway Chrome Tour Open Series this season, made six front-nine birdies, and finished with four birdies and an eagle within the last six holes to break 60 in round one.
The Englishman followed this up with a three-under 68 on day two to finish on 15-under-par, avoiding bogeys throughout the 36-hole event, and to finish one shot clear of the rampant Ethan Hurst of St Andrews Links Academy, who carded an eight-under 63 in round two to pile on the pressure.
“I played really well today,” McCullen said after the final round. “I’m quite proud of how I played out there, especially after yesterday’s around. It is always going to be tough to follow that up. I played really well, I kept the bogeys off the card.
“It was a completely different day out there today. It was chucking it down, a few of the holes were playing a little bit different. I’m just happy I held it together and kept the bogeys off the card. I loved it. It’s the best event of the year so far!”
McCullen has now notched two victories this season, with the first at Mottram Hall back in May. There, he won by two shots from Ben Hutchinson.
Pictured: Haydn McCullen
He also came tied for second at Minchinhampton Golf Club where the South West event of the Open Series was held.
Remarkably, McCullen played with Nick Drane and Martin Munro on day one in Lossiemouth, and the group individually recorded scores of 59, 69 and 79.
“I got off to a good start,” McCullen said of his memorable scorecard of 12-under-par. “It’s important you get off to a good start around here. I think the first two holes are good birdie chances, I managed to birdie both of them, I got off to a nice start. Then, I dropped in a couple more birdies towards the end of the front nine.
“I went a little bit stale on the back nine, but then finished well with a pretty good run of birdies and an eagle on 17.
“After I made the eagle on 17, I thought I’ll have a look and see what the par of the course was. I wasn’t actually sure, so when I saw it was a par 71, I knew I needed to get a par on the last.
“It was better than having to make a birdie down the last. I left myself with a little four-footer at the end, which did get the nerves going a little bit for a 59.”
The Northern Open was the fifth event of the Callaway Chrome Tour Open Series. The next event comes at Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club at the end of June.
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