Ashley Mansell delivered a gutsy final-round performance under cloudy skies at Bowood to clinch the English PGA Championship, edging out the chasing pack by a single shot in a tense finale.
The Clevedon Golf Club professional started the round with the same slender lead he finished with, but wasted no time extending it early in round three, firing four birdies on the front nine to take control of the leaderboard. What looked like a comfortable run-in turned dramatic on the closing stretch, with a dropped shot at 16 and a double bogey on the last.Despite the stumble, a 2-under 70 in round three meant his 7-under total was just enough, as Ben Amor’s chance to force a play-off rested on a birdie at the 18th. He had to settle for a par.
Amor wasn’t short of birdies in round three, however. The Ogbourne pro battled his way into contention with an impressive 4-under 32 on the front nine. He added two more birdies on the back nine, but a costly bogey at 11 meant he fell agonisingly short of catching the eventual winner.
Mansell spent all three days in the red, posting rounds of 69, 70 and 70, showcasing a blend of early scoring and late-stage grit to hang on when it mattered most. Reflecting on the victory, he said:
“It feels awesome. Considering it’s a national event – and to win a national event is something I’ve not done yet – to do that now is great.
“Across the week I feel I played great. All three rounds I played probably some of the best golf of the year, which I wasn’t expecting. The course has been stunning and that definitely helps.”
Looking ahead to what’s next, he added:
“For the remainder of the season, I’m going to continue playing the Chrome Tour PGA Open Series events at Whittington Heath and Leeds Golf Club, along with some of the Pro-ams.”
He also paid tribute to the venue and all those behind the event.
“It’s been a great week here at Bowood. It’s one of the best venues we play on the PGA schedule throughout the year. The golf course is fantastic and has been in unbelievable conditions given the weather we’ve had – it would be lovely to keep coming back here. It’s a proper course.
“And to the partners, I want to thank them for their support – Callaway, Abacus, Silverhand, Coca-Cola – without these guys, we don’t have these events to play in. Equally, to the PGA staff, the hours they put in is just fantastic, so thank you.”
Hadden Hill's Ian Campbell shared second place with Amor, posting impressive scores of 67 and 69 over the final two rounds. However, an opening-day 74 left him with just a little too much ground to make up over the final 18 holes.
James Walker’s consistent rounds of 70, 70 and 72 secured fourth place – the only player to finish on four-under-par.
To see the final leaderboard, click here.
