PGA Professional Darran Clark held his nerve on the final hole to sink a 20-foot birdie to win the 2022 St. James’s Place National Pro-Am alongside amateur partner Delfi Rees at the stunning PGA National Turkey.
The Caerphilly Golf Club duo were the last group out on the final day of this year’s championship at Antalya Golf Club and they were battling all the way with their contemporaries from East Renfrewshire.
There was nothing to separate the two teams on the back nine as they traded blows in a two-horse race right up to the final hole.
It all came down to the 18th hole and it took a moment of brilliance from Clark who rolled in a brilliant 20-foot putt to the delight of the crowd.
East Renfrewshire’s Gavin Hay did have an eight-foot putt to extend the competition to a play-off, but his effort agonisingly refused to drop in the right edge, which confirmed the Welsh club Caerphilly as St. James’s Place National Pro-Am champions.
Hear from our #SJPNationalProAm champions as Team @CaerphillyGolf describe the final round as it happened and their experience at PGA National Turkey this week ?@sjpwealth | @OceanTeeGolf pic.twitter.com/9Na1GAt9SP
— The PGA (@ThePGA) November 30, 2022
Watching on nervously as the putt went in, Rees’ emotions turned from anxious to over the moon. He said: “I didn’t fancy that three-foot slider I will be honest with you, when I’ve seen that putt go down I was like praise the lord!”
Commenting on the victory, Clark added: “They (East Renfrewshire) played really well. Gavin had four birdies in a row on the front nine and he was very unlucky on the last. I said to him I know how it feels, that happened to me last week.”
Clark was in the unique position having played the PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club the week before. He had qualified for the 2021 Championship Grand Final, which was rearranged due to COVID-19 and played at the same venue. Clark had finished as runner-up which made this week’s victory all the more sweeter.
It proved a fitting finale for what was a fantastic week of golf at PGA National Turkey for an event backed by PGA Principal Partner and headline sponsor, St. James’s Place.
“It’s massive to have St. James’s Place involved,” Clark added. “They have been great and the prize money is much different this week compared to last week so shows that sponsors are needed and is great, long may it continue.”
If you would like to follow in the footsteps of Caerphilly’s Clark and Rees, you can enter your club into next year’s St. James’s Place National Pro-Am or find out more by CLICKING HERE.
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